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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


D 


D 


n 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  dt6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxet 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prin 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materis 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I  Pages  damaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~|  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~l  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


Tl 
to 


□    Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  d  nouveau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  imaga  possible. 


Tl 

P< 
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fil 


Oi 
bi 
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or 


Th 
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Til 
wl 

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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


n 

32X 


Th«  copy  filmad  h«r«  ha*  b—n  r«p/oduc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archival  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baglnning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  beginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  Illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  retios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaira  film*  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g*n*roslt4  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  images  suivantas  ont  «t«  reproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattet*  de  l'exemplaira  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmaga. 

Les  exemplairas  orlglnatx  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  ImprimAe  sont  film«s  en  commenprnt 
par  la  premier  plat  at  an  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnidre  paga  qui  comporte  une  9mpreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d 'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  ie 
cas:  Ie  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  Ie 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rAduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  la  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

M 


tEPLY 


IN 


\ 


\ 


SPEECH 


OF 


MR.   LINN,   OF   MISSOUEI, 


IN 


lEPLY  TO  MR,  Mcduffie,  on  the  oregon  bill: 


DELIVERED 


IN  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


JANUARY  26,  1843. 


WASHINGTON: 

PRINTED  AT  THE  GLOBE  OFriCB* 

1843* 


■^ 


ii 


SPEECH 

OP 

MR.    LINN,    OF    MISSOURI, 


IN 


REPLY  TO  MR.  McDUFFIE,  ON  THE  OREGON  BILL. 


DELIVERED  IN  THE  UNITiiD  STATEsS  SENATE,  JANUARY  !*,  1&53. 


Mr.  LINN  said  Ihe  opposition  to  the  measure 
Which  he  had  had  the   honor  of  introducing,  had 

conlined  itself,  except  on  the  part  oi'  the  Senators 
from  South  Carolina,  to  the  grant  of  lands.  One 
of  those  Senators  made  that  his  chief  objection; 
but  was  averse,  in  addition,  to  all  present  action 
tipon  the  matter.  The  other,  who  spoke  yester- 
tlay,[Mr.  McDupriE,]  took  still  v/ider  ground — 
blamed  the  bill  as  to  all  its  incidental  parts,  as 
well  as  its  objects,  and  declared  his  fixed  repug- 
nance, not  only  to  this  scheme  of  settlement,  but 
to  all  expansion  of  our  population  whatever.  Cer- 
tain remarks  of  the  latter  eloquent  Senator  de- 
mand a  particular  reply;  and,  in  answering  them, 
il  I  can  sutticiently,  I  shall  have  met  whatever  else 
has  been  further  objected  to  the  bill. 

It  is  with  a  want  of  consideration,  of  meditation, 
and  preparation  of  the  measure,  that  he  more  di- 
rectly taxes  it.  To  this  objection,  the  history  of 
the  bill,  and  of  its  repealed  introduction  here,  is 

.the  best  answer.     The  measure  was  first  intro- 

!"duced  some  twenty-two  years  ago,  in  the  House  of 
Representatives.  It  has,  therefore,  had  all  the  time 
necessary  to  reach  the  legal  age  of  discretion.  A 
till  of  like  form  and  objects  was  urged  again  upon 
Congress  in  1^23,  with  much  ability  and  research, 
by  a  distinguished  member,  (the  late  Governor 
Floyd,)  one  of  whose  favorite  objects  it  continued 
to  be  up  to  the  close  of  his  honorable  congressional 
career.  Though  he  did  not  induce  the  Legisla- 
ture to  embrace  his  views,  yet  the  measure  com- 
manded the  attention  of  President  Monroe,  and 
was  stnmgly  recommended  in  his  last  annual  mes- 
sage. His  successor,  (Mr.  Adams,)  in  like  man- 
ner, viewed  it  as  a  proper  part  of  our  national 
polic}',  and  pressed  il  upon  the  attention  of  Con- 
gress. This  was  followed  up  by  two  reports  from 
the  accomplished  pen  of  Mr.  Baylies  in  support 
of  the  President's  recommendation.  In  18^8,  it 
was  (mce  more  introduced,  in  a  regular  legisla- 

».  tive  form,  by  Governor  Floyd,  and  passed  the  House 
of  Representatives  by  a  large  majority,  but  failed 
in  Ihe  Senate  by  a  plurality  of  two  votes.  Since 
then,  it  has  repeatedly,  in  one  form  or  another, 
been  the  subject  of  executive  attention  and  legis- 

-  lative  discussion. 

In  1836,  Mr.  Slacnm,  a  young  gentleman  admi- 
i.   rably  filled  for  this  diflicult  service,  was  commis- 
sion(Ml  by  General  Jackson  to  examine  the  coun- 
try, and  report  upon  its  inducements  to  occupation, 
sta'.e  oflhe  fur  trade,  co-.amercial  advantages,  &c. 

■  The  information  which  ilial  gemlcmau  personally 


collected  was  placed  before  Congress  in  1838.  la 
ihe  mean  time,  (October,  1837,)  during  the  extra 
session,  I  made  a  call  upon  the  Executive  for 
whatever  it  could  communicate,  in  its  possession, 
upon  this  interesting  subject.  The  answer,  be- 
sides other  matter,  brought  US,  at  the  regular  ses- 
sion, the  report  of  Mr.  Slacum  of  his  several  jour- 
neys and  voyages  from  Mexico  to  California,  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  to  the  Territory  of  Ore- 
gon. I  then  moved  the  reference  of  the  whole 
subject  to  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations, 
which  was  theri  opposed  strenuously  by  gentlemen 
who  are  noio  in  favor  of  its  reference  to  that  com- 
mittee. Finding  this  opposition,  I  moved  its  refer- 
ence to  the  Committee  on  Military  Affairs,  which, 
was  also  strenuously  opposed  by  all  who  took 
any  part  in  the  debate.  It  seemed  to  be  the  opin- 
ion of  the  Senate,  that  it  should  be  referred  to 
neither  of  the  committees,  but  that  it  appropriately 
belonged  to  a  select  committee;  which  was  accord- 
ingly adopted.  Being  the  author  of  the  proposi- 
tion in  regard  to  the  ^Territory  of  Oregon,  I  was 
selected  as  the  chairman  of  that  committee.  Oa 
the  6lh  of  June,  1838,  the  committee  submitted 
a  report,  accompanied  by  a  bill. 

While  these  proceedings  were  going  on  in  the 
Senate,  Mr.  Gushing,  a  member  of  the  Committee 
on  Foreign  Affairs  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
presented  the  question  to  that  body,  followed  up  by 
a  report  made  by  him— a  report  which,  it  may  be 
said  with  truth,  exhausted  the  s«bject.  Neither 
the  Senate  nor  House  bill  was  reached  that  session. 
Then  came  the  Maine  boundary  excitement,  and 
the  political  and  party  agitation  of  the  years  1839 
and  1840,  in  the  midst  of  which  there  was  so  little 
hope  of  commanding  the  attention  of  Congress  in 
a  measure  in  no  manner  connected  with  the  presi- 
dential election,  that  it  was  thought  unnecessary  to 
press  it  upon  the  consideration  of  the  Senate.  Not- 
withstanding this,  I  was  not  unmindful  of  its  im- 
portance; and  in  January,  1840,*  a  resolution  was, 
at  my  instance,  sent  to  the  War  Department,  as 
to  the  expediency  of  a  line  of  military  posts  ex- 

•Aboui  the  same  period,  I  introduced  another  resolution  in  the 
Senate,  calling  for  fuither  iDformatlon  from  the  State  De- 
partment.  In  reply  to  which.  Mr.  (Jreenhow's  admirable  Me- 
moir,  Iliatoncal,  Politic.il,  and  Geographical,  of  the  Northwest 
Coast,  and  drawn  up  at  tlie  request  of  Mr.  Forsyth,  was  sent  in: 
and  3,000  copies  were  printed  by  order  of  the  Senate.  Mr. 
Greenhow'H  Memoir  contains  the  most  careful  and  correct  in- 
formation that  could  be  obtained  up  to  that  period,  includinff 
even  the  l)est  Uritisli  aiuhoriiioa;  and  it  clearly  proves,  beyond 
all  possibility  of  doubt  or  cavil,  tluit  the  tide  of  the  Uiiitei 
Statca  to  the  country  is  incontroverlible. 


-.■>•■ 


SR421 


tending  to  llm  Rocky  Muimtaius,  upon  which  afa- 
vorattlc   icpurt    wu>    i-.iiMKil  liy    Mi.   Puin.scU.. 
Thai  reporl  1  have  nlieady  bad   ilie  lunioi"  to  ciio 
10  the  Senate  in  my  ()()eninsf  remarks  iipnn  tlijs 
bill,  when  it  firsi  caine  up  lor  et)i).sider!Uioii  this 
session.    When  next  1  brouijhl  it  (orward,  the  for- 
eign negotiations    with    Lord   Ashburton,  which 
elided  in  the  late  treaty,    were  about  to  be  set  on 
foot;  and  I  was  urge)  liy  all  political  parties  not  to 
embroil  them  with  another  diiiiculty,by  a  renewed 
etlbrl  lo  bring  about  the  occiipaiion  of  the  territory. 
To  ttie>e  wishes  I  r^eluitanlly  yielded,  consenting 
to  wait  tor  the  rcsnlis  of  the  prijiiiised  (.iipliinmcy. 
That  diplomacy  has  siufered  the  occasion  to  pas-; 
almost  without  an  allusion  to  the  subject;  and  still, 
as  before,  the  cry  is,  "Nut  now !  wait  a  little  long- 
er! presently  !     By-and  by  we  are  certain  lo  bring 
the  whole  bnslnes.-.  happily  through,  if  you  will  not 
press  it  now  !"    Such  has  ever  been  the  encourage- 
ment, or  the  arguineni,  with  which  the  measure 
has,  for  above  twenty  y  ars,  been  met;  and  the  Sen- 
ator from  South  Carolina  will,  therefore,  see  that 
the  purpose  has  been  pursued  with  everything  that 
could  give  it  forecast,  and  that  no  indiscreet  meas- 
ure or  issue  has  been  press  d  n.^ainslGievt  Biilain, 
or  urged  upon  the  henatc.     It  has  been  held  back 
not  only  until  it  became,  in  point  of  time,  appro- 
priate, but  indispensable,  if  we  are  ever  to  accom- 
plish the  object  at  which  wo  aim. 

The  main  subject  was  urged  on  the  attention  of 
Congress  in  President  Tyler's  fust  annual  message, 
■where  it  is  also  strongly  sustained  by  the  auxiliary 
reports  of  the  Secretaries  oi  War  and  the  Navy; 
and  the  same  recommendation  was  once  more  pre- 
sented to  Congress  in  the  report?  of  Secretaries 
Spencer  and  Upshur,  at  the  beginning  of  this  ses- 
sion. The  country  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Pendleton 
for  an  excellent  report  in  181-3,  to  the  House  of 
Representatives,  accompanying  a  bill  even  stronger 
than  the  one  now  under  discussion. 

This  succinct  history  of  the  measure  must  cer- 
tainly acquit  the  committee  of  any  indiscreet 
haste,  any  inconsiderateness,  any  precipitateness  oi 
plunging  Congress  into  premature  debate,  or  n  rash 
issue  with  Great  Britain;  particularly  as  both  Mr. 
Jefierson  and  Mr.  Madison  had  originally  been  in 
favor  of  some  action. 

As  to  the  apprehended  elTectr,  of  debate  here, 
the  Senator,  I  think,  exaggerates  to  himself  thena- 
tional  irritation  which  may  be  so  produced.  Great 
Britain — herself  accustomed  to  the  most  unre- 
strained parliamentary  discussion — surely  better 
understands  how  debate,  and  the  heats  into  which 
it  naturally  runs,  are  to  be  viewed.  It  is  by  our 
action — not  our  speeches — that  Great  Britain  will 
he  influenced.  I  shall  therelore  continue  to  speak, 
as  I  have  spoken,  freely;  well  convinced  that  what 
•we  say  of  ner  here  will  be  of  no  more  serious  con- 
sequence in  London,  than  what  she  says  of  us,  in 
bfer  legislative  wrangling,  is  of  weighty  influence 
upon  us. 

I  understand  the  Senator's  objections  lo  the  bill  to 
be  three-fold:  first,  that  it  would,  in  its  main  pro- 
visions, bean  infraction  of  the  conventions  of  1818 
and  1827;  secondly,  that,  when  carried  into  effect, 
it  must  plunge  us  into  all  the  expense  of  a  remote 
military  occupation;  thirdly,  that  the  territory  it- 
self is  valueless,  and  must  prove  a  disadvantage, 
not  only  through  the  enormous  expense  it  must  en- 
tail upon  us,  but  by  dispersing  our  pof)ulation,from 
•whose  concentration  alone  a  progressive  and  an  el- 
evated civilization  is  to  be  expected. 


The  Senator  will  pardon  ms  if  I  say  that  the  q-J 

lire  .Ml, p.  of  Lis  1  miliar!;:,  yevlenlu.;,  prov-^  '"■Bn!'l';ii-' hm 
greatly  toiiiulervalue  a  territory  as  yet  little  Wnov  iijaui^ln  i'; 
ill  his  qiiaiier.  Tnere  is  a  mi>S3  ol  doiMinieni;:  allz!  tin- u 
infonnatiuii  in  rcL-ard  Id  ii,  in  whifh  1  '""  <  "i:^"'',.'' 
jielled  to.-uppiisehim  not  vei.-ed.  Even  puiiingilp-.  »'"J'ii:' 
minuieriactsout  of  view,however,anil  supposini,'ie«iah!i;<;M 
surface  sleril,  there  are  in  iis  favor  liiyh  andd'WH''^'' "i 
viouselementsof  comrneiciai  value,  of  Inture  coirii-L'^','"!'"'''' 

1  1  •    1     •    1  I  .  lOtc  III'.  II  ; 

mercial  giea!nc;-s,  which  I  thonght  certain  to  pin;    m  (1,1^,, 
a  mind  as  capable  as  his  of  embracing  these  inB^J  '- '    , 
poitant  coiusidciatioiis.     It  is  plainly,  at  no  dista '***"*  "'''.'- 
d:;y,  thi'  (ies.iiicd  'jveiiue  vf  a  great  trade  fiuiii  .{luddim  ?;' 
our  territories  to  the   Pacific  and  the  East.     ,\ -ifli-.ii,'" 
dnes  he  less  overlook   its  present   and  past  impdif'oW""'-"  i 
ance.    The  inertness  of  our  policy  lias  already  li'^'^ai'iai'  m 
Railed  to  US  more  than  icri  millirnsoflcgiiimiileirai',  Sjs,'.,, ,',_!' 
By  the  sheer  neglect  ol'  our  Gi)vernn»ei)t,  our  (Vjnepst'iriT, 
trade  on  ih  t  coasi — fornifrly  affording  at  least  ha'"''"' /" \'f' 
a  iniliitm — lia>  been  jsnlTered,  under  the  operation  Jflhui,' *i'.'iv 
the  existing  treaty,  to  dwindle  to  some  two  thoiaihri'MT 
sand  dollars  a  year.    Examine,  sir,  the  returns  .*»rM  ■.<!! 
our  fu»-trade,  from  the  lirst  .seiilemtnt  on  *lie  C|'j{j''Jjj'i'|''' 
luinbia,  by  Astor,  down  to  the  present  time;  and  yi he  s'.  .i.^ 
will  lind  that  it  has  sunk  to  the  paltry  omouiitvtneni-.  i 


have  raentitmed,  and  that  nil  tiie  auxiliary  con 

mcrce   which  was   connected  with  it — the  l■ra<i^^^^,'i\■',|.[ 

from  that  coast  to  China — is  extinct.  Mces  rcu^  1 

Tiiese  are  matters  easily  estatjlished  by  doc:  "\^ 

mcntary  evidence  before  me,  so  copious  that  I  da.^_ 

not  lax  the  paiienc?  of  the  Senile  with  its  read  in: 
I  will  venture  only  lo  cite  a  .single  document  rt 
letter,  add rcsspd  to  me  by  Mr.  Pierce,  while  cngag; 
in  this  trade  of  the  Northwest: 

"Boston,  May  1,  mi   ^m:  '  '']v< 

"Sir:  Thinking  it  may  lie  interesting  or  important  to  yoii!^J*'.^|'','|.,'^ 
kiU'W  of  801111!  ol  Uiulatft  opura'iDiiti  ami  (ires'ei.l  pinna  ol  : 
Biiiijih  Fludson  IJav  ("otdpariy  in  ili-.  Ncirili  Pacific  ocear 
lieg  leave  to  pro.ssnt  lo  your  notice  soino  lacis  in  reiaiion  loi: 
.^ttine,  anil  whicli  liuve  come  to  my  IfriowiaJgu  fiom  poveuif^flfni;  „f  r, 
oiiservalion,  or  IroMi  eouicea  entitleii  to  the  fullest  ccedit.  ^. 

"All  iliat  extensive  lino  of  coast  compreheniliiig  ilu!  Kvm  ' '' 

poi=si'89ion8  on  the  noriti  west  cnast  of  America,  from  !Mouni>— ^* 

Eliassoutli  to  the  lalitudtiof  r4ileg.40  min.  north,  (tlie  last  t 
in?  the  lnundary  line  l)etwcen  the  Rutsiaii  and  .\merican  ten 
niries,)  toij'Bihei-  with  theeole  and  exclusive  right  or  privilt;. 
(if  frequenting  all  poris,  bays,  sounds,  rivers,  <&c.  within  tt 
icrritory,  and  nftablishing  foria  and  trading  with  thn  Indij* 
has  been  leased  or  granted  by  iheKussian-Amcrican  FurCoi 
pany  lo  iheltriiish  Ilmlson  Hay  Company  for  the  term  of : 
years  from  January,  1842,  and  "for  wliicli  the  latter  are  to  pa 
annually,  four  thousand  lur  Real  skins,  or  the  value  thereof 
money,  at  tlie  rate  of  thirty-two  shillings  each— say  jEC,-; 
sierline,  or  S3i>,720. 

"In  theabovonanied.lenae  the  Russians  have,  however,i 
served  to  themselves  the  island  of  Sitka,  or  New  Archancel; 
which  place,  you  probably  are  aware,  the  Russians  have 
large  settlemKnt— the  depot  and  headquarters  of  their  fur  tra 
with  the  Fox  islands,  Aleutian  islands,  and  the  continental  sh' 
westward  of  Mount  dt.  Ellas.  All  the  trading  estal)lishme' 
o!"the  IluKHians  lately  existing  atTumgass  Stickene,  and  oil 
places  within  said  territory,  leased  to  the  Hudson  Bay  Com: 
ny,  have  iif  consequence  been  broken  up.  Thus  the  Hud- 
Bay  Company,  not  content  with  monopolizing  the  berntofc 
profi'able  trade  ofthe  Americans,  of  supplying  die  Uussian*! 
tlenientson  the  Northwest  coast,  have  now  completely  cut  thi  ■ 
otjalso from  all  tradu  with  the  most  valuable  fur  regions iiu 
world 


Hon,  N  (; 


Vei'.rt-. 


l«:il 

J  821 

l>2(i 

isid 
l^^i 

m 

l^a^l 
m\ 

•  iKl!) 
1810 


"Whether  the  arraneementa  made  between  the  Russians  a  i-h.^  ,  .hip  Z 
English,  above  alluded  to,  arc  conformable  to  the  treaties (_  ,,,  ,       '  , 
isting between  the  United  States  on  the  one  part,  and  ihoset  orp.uoi    va 
lions  respectively  on  the  other,  I  leave  to  your  belter  knon,-,^',.  .,..'.„  '^. 
edge  to  determine.  ,  T  .    ;  /  , 

f'With  the  doings  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  at  Pus*  rfji,-,  ,1  ,.,,,, 
.sound  and  the  Columbia  river  you  are  doubtless  fully  inforni^i^iy,,  |.';„^,|'.  |, 
those, however,  lately  commenced  by  them  in  California  i>„,J  „.(]".,','  m 
admitofniysayinga  few  words.  inven'i.iu  01  1 

"  At  8an  Francisco  they  have  purchased  a  large  house,  as,  j«,|„  ,,||,.„(.^ 
trading  establishment  and  depot  for  merchandise;  and  theyt^S,|._j^|,,|,,|.'| 
tend  this  year  to  have  a  place  of  the  sam*  kind  at  each  of  iSJL  ,i|  1"^)  a  n 
principal  ports  in  Upper  California.  Two  vesselsare  buiWi  rjl'.,  |. ,„,'„'„  |, 
in  London,  intended  for  the  same  trade— (tut  is,  for  titecWir,}^.,  |„|,(]'^, 


I 


5 


f  I  say  ihat  the  e:,  •       ,        ,     ,  ,  ,:      .  •  ,  .1 

1     "^  ,„   ,^  ,^   1    tetrailii;  ann.  nncr  roinpiciin?  tliPir  cartroeA,  to  cirry  Ui«m 
L'Ulu.;,    |)u).c.>    '":Sri.;n^i.ii„],     Tueso  iliiir;  ■•,  s\ii|]  ulliuiw,  l'ivc  ivrry  n.di^  iiliuii 
iis  VOtliUlc  KiKiv  Jia' II  i.^  liif  |uif|icic(if  111     "    '       ■■      ■•  - 


Ifililsiiii  lt:iy  *-'<iiiip;iiiy  li>  n.cjdl 
3llzi!  tlir  wliii'<.' luili;  :iinl  I'll'ow  irailo  ii;  ilii;  cohbi  nf  C.ilir'ii'- 
niu— >i  ii.i,lo  vhii'li  now  eiii|ik))iH  nunc  iluiii  tiii  1  a  iiiillidfi  >'l 
Aoi'.'rii'  ill  i'.'i|iititl. 

■    *'/\i  ihr  Siuilwicli  I-'l.imls  tliccoiiipiuy  liiivf.  ;i  liinro  trmliii'.' 
'r,arill  .Sllpl)(J^illg:Miall!iMillll^•.lt,    i:ml   li:iM'    ciiiiiii-'i'iii'til  1 1:^:-;.  :ivr    iii     lit 

avor  hi'jh  find  (j'''*'''^"  '"  ''"•  <':Hiiiu'y,  v.-ii.i  fvi,|,  nt  iJc-il-h:- im 


3  Vi  iUlOIUlK'lll;! 
\vj»ifh  1  vHli  (  oi: 
liven  pull iiijv;- ill' 


III    iit^  I'  iiii 

ni(iliiiti.il;;',u  i' 


uviM     iii;.-,u  mm  o  "r"       .    , .•  '  •    ■      .  •-••  ,..,.-. 

ln<»   nfit  tni'p   .,,''  P" "■"'''''''   '""'   U'  di  i*'c  uli   iliu  Americana  v.i,o  liiive  henj'D- 
lUe,  Ol  imuiL  <-';'Yo|e  Im',11  ;;h  clilKlc.ieiiuir.-iaiiiU.diuiiirKiib-. 

;ht  cei'iain  to  Pin:  •'  i  Uuvu  Ik-cm  i..|..niji.d  ly  ""''  "'  tl'"  if-'pn's  of  iIir  IIiidBon 
ibracinij  tliest?  inUiy  '^liupmy  tiiat  ilie  iiuri'-ii'inr-il  jiiiil  cnniiiwi'ri.il  'i|i,iia- 
nilllv  ai  no  (hsti ''""^  "'  '"' ''  sli.-li.ii.  I'm.'  '.'^.-^nnnil,  (',iliiii,l)i;i  rivpi,  (;  iliidf 
,  ,.,  1  ,•  '  '  '  ni«,  ami  S,iiiil\vii:li  Isuiiiil-',  <:riMMrrii%:l  mi,  not  iiciiiiiliy  l.y  tin; 
real  iraile  Hum  .{jfiiddim  \U^  (•.iiii).:ii)y,  liui  liy  wliiit  limy  b.'  !■  nri' li  .r  hniiii'li 
id  the  Easl,  -N  jfll— U,.  iMMi'li'inen  v,'1ki  ■in.  liii!  r  .iul  liicliihuis  utid  Hdck- 
1  and  pa:iL  ilTir.Ol''*'"''''''' ''  "'"''^'"'"'''■".'•^  •''■•'  v\hdlK'V'  a^.J>■rlrtl^•l;  lln  ms' Ivos 
^,.  l.o..- oi.-i..-i  l<7  (  uiUlertht:  linn  dl  l*''lhy.  S|.ii|i-on.  <t  (Jo.  in  l,oui!on,  hikI  v.iiIi 
cj  lias  dii  t  aii>  u      ^1  .|^^,  _^j.  ^^^^^|._j  1,^,^,^  .tlo.iiiiddiio. 

Ol  Icglllinillell'ilii    ♦'iSi'iii.^;  'liL-so  '  i,;ri]>a,iit:!<,  ilioii,  m.ii-cliir.'i  wi:h    iiori    loo;, 
VeVTimeUt,  our  (VjJtepRCdil;..'.  |)f|,^.'>!S.<id!i  nt'ilie.i,iO  l  V,.lillli'lo   I'Onidll  dl  CdUiiiry 

Vjrdill""  at  Icasl  ha"*''"'  '^"'■''"■if'  l*'i''>'ic;  Mni  cou!.!. 'trine,   iim,  the  iiniin-i.si; 
I        ,  '^  '•        jfHoin  I  di  ihnr  rapi'nl,  ili.'  niiiiiht'C,    en;  I'pvi:"--,  nii  I   e.'..i.'\j:y 

lerini!  operaiion  jfihun  ngoms,  inpl  iIk;  pol'ry  pLiivufil  liy  lln;iii.  miMl  iT:;sd:i 
,0  some  two  thuiialhci'sln  iVm-  ll;ii  Ao;t'iiri;ii  c.uniiifi'.c  in  '.\';o.  pu'l  <i|  ili'- 
sir  the  retUltS  "WM  nin.-".,soon  |in\in'  it-'  !i  ■.'.  Uui  Mir,  ii  ij  Id  bi'  lid|ii  ilili.il 
lom.nt  .in  llin  P  '•""  '■"V'lninPIlt  Wl  1  wnnn  il.i  Pdiintliinu'  10  l)if:ik  np  llld  Itllt- 
itiiuuiuu  »"^ '-'ighscMinienis  111  llio  Urrcdii  Tenuoi-y,  !Uu.i  iipinvl'y  n.^rnv 
38erit  tune;  ailO  Vi  tie  snM.'.rt  ii'.iia  whlcli  n.'W  ininnaii;  ilie  nni.n  ciiro  itvils  I'l 
;  paltry  amount  ^morii- .i  iiHi'iT-in  m  iln;  \V..'.ii'in  woiM.  in  iliu  i;ndeiivi>r 
110  allxiiiarV  con"''^''"'  ''''''"l^  ili;UdfMir;ili!edlijfCt,  jnu  have  linim  mncli;  .iiid 
...  ,  "  ■  .ivery  liicnil  to  lii<  ivin.itry,  I'vi'iy  p'TMiu  iii'.ch'.-iKd  ir 'hfiroin- 
wnn  a— ine  'raoneiccid'ihe  Punlk,  inii^-t  leel  graieliii  lor  ilie  valuable  sui'- 
inct,  'Ices  rciirl' r.'il  111!  in   i.yy.u 

laulished  by  doc: 
copious  that  I  da:_ 
;  with  its  read  in; 
igle  document  pi 
rce,  while  cngag; 


i.yy, 
"Willi  '.;r('at  ii'.^iJoc.r,  yoiir  I'boilifi,'  °ervnni. 

•MII'jMIV  a.  IMKROR  "* 


*FURS. 


TlH3A.STTr;V  DcPAKTMr-NT, 

liagisUr'ti  OJl'-.  JiVi(/ai,  U'A'i. 

Boston,  May  1, 1S12    ^^'  '  ''''•■'"  ''"^  honor  to  i  ncios':  tlio  sfaicinent  of  l 
.    "      .     .  ,„  .  „   lorted  i.i  Oiri'.on.     I  hive  ilio  (■■xp.i-tln  iIip  dircri  tiuJo, 
or  important  to  you  ,^^^.^^  ,,.,^^,^  ^^  ,.,,. ..  ^  ,,,„„^,^^„  ..^^.^  ,,  „,,  „^,,^ 

id  pve.-'enl  plana  ol  :  1 1  \ir'.j  m.wi    -m- 

Vokh  Pac;lic.d,-e-.r    H„n,  N,  G  P.Kn.ETON,  •'"''''•"  '"''^''"'^^ 

1  (acts  in  reiaiion  to; 


llll'S 

,  and 


ih 


1  lauiC!'  ill  iu:aiiuii  iui. 

iwiodgu  fiom  poreui'aijic  of  furs  cxporkd  to  CaiJon-  on  J 
the  lullcst  ci-edit.  ,         r..„.,i   n„.,„„ii„    A-.,,,,  i>j-)i  /„  i 


irehendiiig  tins  Ilusnii 
iierica,  from  Mount  >- 
lin.  north,  (the  last  t 
an  and  American  ler: 
Bivc.  right  or  privil(;_ 
rivers,  &c.  within  a. 
dins;  with  tho  Indiji* 
nAincricun  FurCoi 
ly  for  tlie  term  of ; 
J  ihfi  latter  are  to  pa 
ir  the  value  thereof 
iiigs each— say  JEG,', 

DH  have,  however,! 
or  New  Archancel; 
the  RusiiianB  have 
irtors  of  iheir  fur  \xi 
cl  the  continental  sh' 
radlng  establishme' 
is  Stickene,  and  otl 
H(i*)Bon  Bay  Comj 
Thus  the  Hud- 
:>liziiig  the  beretoK 
)lying  the  Russinn>' 
w  coriipletely  cut  ihf 
ikble  fur  regions  In  i 


conrif,  aniiii'illi/,  fr.'/ ni  1&21  lo  !«{(). 


mrriain  ac- 


Yeaiv 


:;l«;it 

l.sit 
l-'T, 
1  ---ii 

■■|.--i'.i 
■I8i') 

tR:::i 

i&;i 
18:7 

18J-1 
M-.V.) 
1810 


Direct  trade. 

Genti-Hl  trade. 

«rr.':>:in 

f  ri^lil  091 

T.-'  las 

•f.liUlSl 

I'll '.till 

■.•,\<x-Si\ 

8  .in:) 

•-•(■'0  •hV.) 

.s:!  i:!,) 

i.'7((4l  ' 

45  Hi) 

■:.'>•<  'J.'!,"! 

iiiimjn; 

•..'."i''',SMJ 

li'l,7(ii 

Hl,l>(l 

_ 

l.KiOfi 

_ 

•v>.:.','K> 

- 

1(':M;'.'.", 

t:i:lii--, 

■•■  .•I'^.j 

|.'it.:;j-< 

•]!i;;dl 

i:M,diS 

:,.t,8-.S 

iOMI  :i| 

::{\\ 

'.li.ui:2 

•^r,-■■•\ 

.'■vl  >■?.■> 

IG7II1 

'li|,t'(X) 

•J,lo8 

~ 

Ui^niarkri. 


\ii  ••f'ttirii. 
!)o. 
Do. 

lUi. 


■^atimnti'd. 


Do. 

Nj  rciurii. 


reenlho  Russianaaifi^iniihlp.i.xiiiiiiiini^ii  -iMdiiai'v  '■iniiii"i!iiii^'  iradc  in  fiiis, 
ble  to  tlie  treatieae„^lli^  ii,„,,li.ml^.  |,,i,.i,ij,,  a;,,|  ti.niui"  of  i;,itish  .^iilii'jr  p 
me  part,  and  those  I  or,,j.„„  .va.s  ai;;lioriz-d  by  th..  rdnvmirn  ..f  H!^.  i^ihuiu;.! 
.0  your  better  Kno»,fl|^jji;.  ,,.,|.y  up,,,,  the  i.rin-iph'.^  :t'ici  provirior's  ofiliat  conviM 

Company  at  Puge 


,>nA  III 


■ivihril  'lisiiUPit'-^d'iliu.'r-,-;  or  '.:■  n.'ro.?!'/  rniv  .■Jiirivinl*' 
...^  "•   f    -    e<w''i'il  '  iirlii'ipalioii  lli''adv.in:ii'Ji'?ii:id   piiVilccIs  (d' iin  .  .X 

.lbtte3sa>lyin»ornr|,,,y,, ,.;„!.,,.  ,,.,,  ||,p  ^viser,  sah-r,  and  more  uone!-,;!  vnledf  na 
lein  in  Oallfornia  *)tia|,,,-tio.i,  min  ovn-y  iii-int  m  di'mand  an  cipiivalont,.     Thf  i 
lavenlioii  dl  HIS,  w.i^'-a  dpparuir.'  Irom  iliissuliiiarv  riili'.and  : 

„ ■iftpn-'  ipifiiPO:*   we  read  in   ttii!  almvn  tahlp— the   lincoiiipcn- ; 

handiso;  and  they  t^^i,.^,,,,,,,.  n,,i,(.   ij,„|c„„  -jiy  0'Mn(,any  of  all  Una  trade  I 
•  kind  at  eacho  nn^,„.,,,,v„,.i;i:,,,|,  .,.,,..,  in.si.    Tl,i.,  sj.^de  .si.itriiirnt  af.; 
o  vesaelaare  bulldi;,^,,  |.,,,.o;,  |,y  whii  ii  ue  r-hill  do  well  k.  proli'.  in  lime.  h.'-ore 
(tut  is,  for  Uloe»w,ra^.,  l,,.l,flei-e,„;e^lorbear;..nce,  and  ntilcct  shall  render  ut- 


The  Senator  from  Kentucky  srnve  the  other  day 

a  viTv  stiikiii^  sla'icli  ol'  liic  va^L  and  widcsjircad 
opc'iaiiiins  ol  liie  Jiulsoii  liay  Coinpaiy.  Tlicy 
muy  Iji?  ycl  more  vi.-^iWy  tiactd  in  a  map  of  llietr 
po,s>e.-sion;s  bciure  tne,  ifcre  Sonattiis  may  ca.-^t 
ihiMf  •:yi.-s  over  a  tPiiitory,  strelrliiiig  from  tlie  iiay 
ol  till:'  iiorth  Allaniic  wiiicli  lins  lent  its  name  to  the 
as.suciati.>n,  to  ilie  Pacific  and  the  Ivirder.s  of  Mex- 
ico. Over  this  v,  ide  dominion,  dolled  with  iheir 
(retitU'.'it  furls,  settiemenis,  aiid  iiiclories,  and  over 
iis  many  Jiidian  iiihes,  ihcy  hold  undi-pulcd  nils, 
ns  c()m|ilcie  tis  was  ever  cxiMci.M'd  in  IJiiidostaii  liy 
ilie  ,<;ie.u  coinp.Hiy  wliicli  was  liie  skilful  instiu- 
iiifnl  (if  Eii'.rliUid  in  .'•tizinn;  upon  licr  present  em- 
pire lliere.  The  led  spots  on  ihis  man  desiojnato 
ilieva/ioiis  foils;  llie  oihers,  the  seltlemeuis  of  tiic 
comp.my's  reiired  servants. 

Wliat  htndmarks,  vviiat  signs  of  dominion  or 
pos.se.-^sioi.,  has  tiiis  Government  aliixed  to  the^;oi!'? 
NotiC.  Ilou"  lijve  yoiu  (.•iriims  been  viniiicate^l'? 
What  care  have  vuii  hail  of  even  the  subordinate 
tn-tler  cf  yout  trade,  iisrntlly  not  slighted  by  ael- 
ivcly  ci'inmereial  naiion.v!  Yonr  fur  trnde,  as  I 
liave  said,  is  gone;  Ihat  wi'h  tlic  Russian  posses- 
sions hiis  been  siifl'ered  to  pnss  into  foreign  han^l^^; 
thai  wiih  til''  Sandwiih  Islands  lies  at  the  mercy  of 
your  v.aichlui  riva';  and  nt>t  a  s  ep  is  taken  lo  stay 
her  encroaeliments  upon  your  soil,  or  hei  inroads 
upon  your  commerce! 

It  is  not,  sir,  bei-inise  I  am  a  Western  man,  or 
beeau,-e  my  immediate  c  nsiituents  take  a  deep 
concern  in  this  mailer,  thai  I  urge  it.  I  regard  it 
only  as  a  natiimai  (piestion.  it  is  as  a  great  and 
ackn;)v>-ie(tged  interest  ol  tlie  v.-hole  Union  that  I 
would  preserve  ii.  let  it  r.irectly  benefit  what  sec- 
tion of  the  coiuiir"  it  inny.  Nolliing  local,  noihitig 
seitiional,  enters  into  v>.\'  leLdin<;s,  or  shall  suay  my 
judgment.  I  view  it — and  tni^-t  that  every  other 
fieiiak)!'  will  view  il — only  in  its  broader  relations 
to  the  whole  eouniiy,  and  have  aiimd  to  treat  it 
onlv  in  ilK'.t  way. 

In  rc'nid  lo  the  pariicular  interests  involved  in 
the  ([uesiii.n,  1  could  r^Tid  many  documenis,  with 
which  1  wii:  not  weary  the  atleniiuii  of  the  Senate.-. 
'I'liey  will  pennit  n\ij,  however,  to  ci:e  from  the 
I'Xcelhiit  report  of  Mr.  Pendlelon  to  the  other 
Hiuise,  the  fuiknving  impcrlriiit  Idler  of  Ciiptain 
Spahlin'j:,  of  the  ship  Lausanne,  of  New  York,  ad- 
dres>cd  to  my.-ell : 

".\t  |'rr»-:'n'.  tin'  ('ompany  rnliivalp  almut  iliree  llioii'^nnd  .nrriV! 
ol  land,  and  rid.-c  ahont  eiulilech 'lioiisaiid  liiu-hrlf:  ol' wlieat, 
l'onii(;rn  tlioii-'and  haifilieU:  df  po  ;iniis.  lliree  (lion.--and  luishflH 
ofpea^o.  and  have  h;)!l:  Mnnr  aii.' s.iw-iiijlls;  tjiey  liave  seviyR 
lriC'U5,iii(l  hi-ad  of  e:ili!c,  -vvo  lli'iiirand  .'iiifr-p,  linys,  Ac.  and 
have  .ni'.Mji'il  to  saipply  ilie.  Kn,--.^ians  wiili  eiilii.  lli  'iisiind  hindi- 
".3  of  wlie.it  iimmaliy,  an  I  I  Jo  iioi  know  huw  many  tl  ontnnd 
poiii  d:i  of  Imi  er  ui  Gd.  i-lei-lin_' per  pound;  ih.y  liavc  a  laiiTB 
nniiil  er  of  men  in  llieir  iniploy,  (onr  piiip.",  two  ^■ellonnel•s,  and 
a  btiaml);'a';  tli.:y  lir.vn  nveial  fotts  on  ilie  s-nntli  f-ide  of  itie 
(>oliirn!iia.and  nijie  out  nl'tlie  viver  prulinlily  iidt  less  ihan  five 
hinidii-f)  lliinixaiid  ihtlUirs  in  vaiiie  per  aiiiiiiin;  while  oiirtjuv- 
ernnieij  reniain.s  perf.-eily  pii-fii'.e.  .■md  nnconcerncd.     I  must 

terly  worililess  tl 
If  liie  t^iirreHHfiil 
he  ina'-e,  it  mll^'l 
e.v:-ln*=ivt>  pn^■ses,.~ 
of  ili'i  (/'dlninbia. 
rt^nder  of  inr  rial 
dotiinen:  of  ihi 
to  il'.e  anniliiUvli 
^laniiliier. 

T'loin  :!i\:  to  eii; 
Mom. Mills,  cm  liii 
lar;:i;  anionnl  ol'  i 
Itiltice  li:i.i  I'd  lue^i 
rary.  Tlii^tviido 
pioitction  whieli 


lit  hiiiidrrd  men  annually  pn  to  the  Rocky 
iiliiiE  and 'iiuins  expcilitidn,  xvlm  eollecl  ti 

ni'.-^;  lUe  value  df  wliic.li.  Inuvever,  ttie  com- 
infi  ol  a-f  rl  liiiiis  Willi  any  de','ree   <d' neen- 

would  greiiily  and  rafi  diy  ii  crease  under  t!ie 
tiie  Cy.ilcniplaled  pui's  wil!  ;;l!'urd. 


4 


vt 


confess,  when  I  s-aw  all  this,  I  fftU  aaliamed  lliat  I  was  an  Amcr 
ican.  I  am  coiiviiicetl  (hul  not  aiioilicr  iiiiiiiin  iir.iler  Ijcuviii 
would  siibmii  Ki  it,  orcouM  bcbu  ne^liyt'iiiuf  (lit^  iiiiuriHis  ul  iik 
people.  Tlie  company  hiivonll  tiic  cailli',  sheep,  \'c  ,  hiil  will 
riot  sell  tw  a  eeitl«r  a  eliielecnw  or  aalifep;  il  ny  will,  I  bi'lieve, 
sometimes  sell  a  plf;,  hut  iiii.lnnp  elto  (i/icc— nut  eveji  a  liuiai ; 
nothing  that  hrcuthts.  Tlu^y  luvt  now  l■,llMllal•telllo^llfJply  tlie 
Russians  at  iSiil  ;a,  ami  all  ihe  iiorihcrn  pons,  wiih  ^dudn  oi  ull 
kinds  that  the  Ilufsiann  require  at  twenty  tivc  (ler  cuit.  advance 
on  tlie  London  invoice,  to  be  delivered  at  ihe  pniis  where  ihey 
are  wanted,  without,  cliarpe  ibr  ireijilit  or  exjeiisc  ol  any  kinil; 
thus  driving  the  Americans  oll'ihe  coaHi.  Ii  isulso  well  under- 
Blood  that  they  purpose  lakina  pos'est.joM  of  the  .S.uidvvirli 
Islands,  which  the  JlritiKJi  (jovernment  claim  under  an  old 
g^lant  from  Tamanlimuah.  There  Ih  loo  good  rf  ason  lo  believe 
(indeed  the  opinion  if  pievaltni  at  On  ijon)  that  the  !.';iispific 
ambition  of  the  OiitiHh  will  nui  with  all  ihi^  \v'.  sali^ificd,  but  ihai 
they  intend  to  add  even  C'a///u;?i!a  to  their  possessions:  meiui- 
Ing  and  intending  thereby  to  obtain  possijnsion  ot  the  bay  ol 
Han  Francisco,  winch  is  decidedly  t'le  beat  jilace  on  the  whole 
west  ci/i»t  of  America  lur  a  naval  depot,  ami  where  the  com- 
bined {javies  ol  the  whole  worUl  coidd  anchor  wiih  perlect 
safei);  being  accessible  at  all  times  lor  vessels  of  any  draught 
of  water. 

"The  colony  from  the  Ilidled  States  Is  riiuatcd  on  tlie  Walla 
net,  a  branch  ol  iho  Columbia,  about  riinciy  imiIck  from  iKc 
Mouth  iifihe  river,  which  is,  undonlitedly,  ihe  fnust  craziii;; 
end  wheat coiioiry  in  Oreiron.  Atpieseiu.  it  consists  nfiiliont 
■oveniy  families,  who  raise  considerable  grain,  and  liave  ahont 
three  iliousand  head  of  caule.  'J'he  mission  hist  year  raised 
one  thousand  bushels  of  wlieat,  aiid  m;ide  butter,  clitese, 
Ac,  enough  for  their  own  use  They  have  five  hunilied 
head  of  cattle  and  two  hundred  horses,  ami  last  year  they 
sowed  four  hundred  bushels  of  wheat,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  bushels  of  pease,  and  planted  a  larao  (luiiniily  ol 
potatoes  and  vegeiablrs  ol  all  dcsciip  ions.    The)  havelioa-i, 

Eouhry,  ikc,  in  abundance.  Last  year  they  raietti  over  liileto 
undred  bushels  of  poiatocs.  The  exienior  the  coun'ry  cmo 
prising  the  Wallamel  Valley  Is  about  three  humlred  n  lies  ioi  tr 
and  two  hundred  broad,  inteisperae.l  willi  ravines  (if  wood,  c  n- 
orally  of  sufilcn  nKpianiiius  Inr  lucl  ai.il  I  nch  ^.  The  land  in 
its  natural  state  is  usually  lemly  Icn  ilie(i|niii;li.  and  is  very  lei 
tile,  producing  from  twenty-live  to  lorly  husindsol  wliciit  to  the 
acre;  and  the  climaio  is  so  niild  that  ilie,  rniile  nit.-isi  i:ii|ic 
fields  without  fiiihlei'  im  .*!ielier  of  .■my  innd  l>  ia.".  i'ir|.,iK  i"! 
provided  lor  them  tliiough  ilio  winter,  t^iininn  can  be  lakiii  at 
the  Wallamet  lalls  (wlinh,  hovvcver,  the  Ilriiish  have  inkei 
possession  of,  and  con)|relleilour  people  to  Imild  their  mills  at 
the  falls  above)  wi;h  hitle  iriuilile.  Iiiim  Miiy  lo  A  iiiiiiil .  r,  in 
almost  any  (lauulity.  Ihavono  hr-siialiim  i;i  sayirjrihai  an 
thousand  barrclsmisht  hf.'al.eniieranmuii.  I'ro'..ii"bly  no  place 
jn  ilie  world  oilers  gr'ii.  eii.ents  for  emiirriuiis.     Pro- 

Tisiotismiiht  readily  be  o  to  siifipori  onetbonsaiid  emi- 

grants al  any  lime      l''loii,  .is season  hich.  in  con?  (|Mni,re 

of  a  want  ofniili.-;— a  didii  uiiy  ,;!ai  i.-.  tu.w  ohviaii  il  by  the  irec 
tioii  of  two  new  ones,  viz.  one  by  Mr.  McKey.  and'one  by  llii! 
niis.=iuri;  as  al?o  two  saw-mills.  Wheat  is  iioiiiinally  woiili  i'Ih'^ 
dollar  per  budicl,  heefrix  ceins  per  pound,  pork  ten.  cow--  liliy 
dollais  each,  oxen  sixty,  lioiv:es  tbin\-rivi.  Poinnics  b  ii'i: 
about  tweniy-livc  cenu;  p  r  linsliel  'Lihnr  i:-  worili  alipni 
thiriy-fivo  didiais  per  munih,  iht  laborer  beii.g  luuud  by  b:s 
employer." 

I  have  repeatedly  allnded  to  llie  comtiiercial  and 
ten^iorial  cupidiiy  ol'  the  llutison  liny  Compniiy, 
its  unjn.'^t  eiicioacliiiient.-;,  ils  liiilic.-iiaiiii:^  rapacity, 
the  spoliations  oCoiir  Icijitiinate  iiade,  ami  even  the 
murders  wliith  liave  iraekci!  ils  ronr.-e  as  a  com- 
pany. Bill,  in  simple  justice,  let  me  sav  llint  ihese 
acts  and  this  ehuiactei'  lieloti'X  lo  ti;em  onlv  in  a 
cor])ofate  capa'ity.  As  indivi(illi^'^,  mnnv  oi  iheiii 
are  men  lii:j;!ily  humane  and  honoiabie.  ll  is 
abtmoanliy  known,  in  particuliir,  ihr.i  tl.ere  lives 
not  a  more  sfneioiis,  heiievoleiit,  and  kind  l'C.?r.id 
gentleman  tluin  Dr.  AlcLau.slilin,  the  intlividnaj 
at  the  head  ol'ibe  company's  anairson  the  Colum- 
bia. His  acts  oi' voluntary  kindness  towards  onr 
citizens;  hiscourtesytowardswhomsoeveii.i' our  oili- 
cers  or  puiilie  a^aiits  m;iy  liave  visiied  llnit  Cdttn- 
try;  the  ready  and  liberal  s:ood  t^lliees  \viii'-!i  he  h.'s 
ever  extended  wherevor  tliey  were  needed,  ilo  him 
him  greni  lionor,  and  should  not  he  meniionni 
■without  thanks.  I  make,  ihen,'my  eharires  against 
Ihe  collective  company  and  ils  policy,  not  the  in- 
dividuals of  wlmm  it  is  mudf  up.  Let  me.  on  tilt; 
Other  hand,  as  ireeiy  remark,  wiiiioui  deairin 


llilnini^h  rinyihing  from  tiiis  imlividiial  prniM^j,^ 
that,  as  a  coinjiany,  tiiey  can  well  afUnd  !o  be  :;(•:,  (j  ||,,^, 
eious  to  us  ol  the  Irui's  ol  our  own  .soih     An  an  gfj^'j^' 

It  a  ili^ 


mm 


niial  half  million  iii  liie  iur-tr;ide  iiiiiy  we 
gale  a  good  many  iiationiil  |)rejudii.es.  Out  ot  anj«gt  rie 
ahtinilance  which  should  he  ours,  they  mny  \V(!:j*gyg(. 
dlspen.^o  .some  ho.'^piiality  to  our  citizcn.s  and  ai^0ji.  t|, 
erediied  agenis.  For  training  on  their  saviii:.^^  '^fj^ 
ilepenilanls  to  w.'iyiay  our  wanderers,  to  burn  i'i;'jj|0  jji, 
settlements,  to  exierminate  tlie  seitler,  lo  shut  i'Ujop[  t|, 
our  traders  Irom  all  participation  in  their  irailiimij^tj, 
ihe.se  civiliiies  are,  alter  all,  but  acheap  '''i"'^'^''ii'mion 
True  il  is,  however,  that  in  the  former  rivair  ygj^y 
between  the  two  companies,  before  they  ^''litto  the 
merged  into  one,  they  were  as  lapaeioiis  and  5^(gp  yy\ 
sanguinaiy  lowarils  each  other.  And  why  f>l'uu!,|gpfjy„ 
they  be  more  just  or  n;oie  mcrtilul  towards  a:,j.y  [],p 
alien  racel  ■watchi 

Of  these  deeds  ihe  Senator  J'rom  South  f^iiroh:  ,^^5,^;  .| 
may  have  somt!  rccolleeiion,  ami  of  the  time  wktii^^j.  (m[ 
in  their  contest  lor  ihe  siipieinaey  ot  that  re^ji  :.,q '^,  ;^, 
the  employees  of  the  two  coinpiiiiics  weie  led    "^g    \y^.^^ 
lo  mutual   outrnges  as  deiestable  as  any  l<>  wlo!  jjifaj^t 
ihcy  now  jcinily  ins'.iL:aie  the  savages  againsi  oiggQ^   T 
helpless  citizens  and  iratlers.     He  may  perhaps  n  guardir 
call   the  tragedies  of    1S1!>,  when    the   Noii/i\vc(gostins 
Company  maile  regular  war  upiai  that  nf  Huilsi  jjj^  y^j;, 
..ay,  to  drive  iliem  from  thetra'lr:  pitched  bnii'  jj  g^g^^ 
being  lought  as  bi.'lween  two  fiei.  ■  Indian  inli  [hq^ 
wiih  a  loss  of  twenty   men    in    a  single  affni-gj^A 'j 
Governor  t^emple  ami  Mr.  Kevenny  (another  Icr.j  expeml 
ingman)  perishing  in  the  eoniesl.  ^.g^r,  ll 

1  surely  ha\o  not  need  to  urge  that  th'y  wli^j^g  \\^^^, 
the  sordid  love  of  gain  could  thus  urge  to  nnbr.ggj  q^  i\[ 
iheir  hands  in  the  blood  of  brother  Etiglishn. 
would  liltle  hesiiale  to  inllame  the  n.'iluiai 
lipalliies  of  the  savi.ge,  and  turn  his  secomi 
le  ocitv  to  an  easv  and   a  general    insiiumeni 


ci; 


gro  race ! 

object  of 

ag  your 

rliectin:;  tliose  dark  dcetis  ly  which  the  ci!i/.cii>j  gjave  p 
[1  rival  power  were  lo  be  put  out  of  ihe  way  wLjaug^, (■[■£, 
ihey  came  between  ihcm  and  their  gtiin.s.  ^  goji  1 

I  do  not  speak  idly  of  Ihe.se  malteis,  but  lioki  [Here  M 
mv  hitml  re;  o  is  ol  men  who  pcisonady  knew  )alding,  v 
inlbience  and  ihe  ails  practised  against  us:  s:-* 
men  as  Governors  ("l.irke  and  Cas'-;,  w;  oseji 
mt'iits  and  l;nowlini',;e  in  Indian  iifi'<iis  weii' 
yond  dispute.  They  show  thai,  up  to  1>':;) 
least  five  hundred  of  our  people  li.ive  bee 
.siroyeil  in  this  wny,  and  llnii.  l 
dfstiuclion   has   iiwt  clinnged. 

shows  that,  wheiever  the  Biilish  fur  tratte  i.s  pi^i  .deorcomn 
ii;c  Indians  are  subsid^ztil.  Tlie  lerins  of  »veola<lve 
subsidy  have  an  index  in  the  UHircier.s  ctunnn  fi^jj'g '''.',',','y 
on  I  ur  r'('<'P'"*-  Trace  up  ihe  buiciierie>  m  ufj,  aim'i, 
Rocky  Mountains  ami  ila;ir  plains,  iho  ravage  itisli_  F  rt 
ourexposeil  settlements,  and  yon  will  fmil  il '"'®  J",'!'"'! 
luiifonnly  cuiiimiucd  by  Indiiins  chid  in  Bi.g  gamivvir-li 
i)liinl<e:s 
sea 'pin  g- 
wlioiii    ll 


.  "To  show  tl 
)t  out  Amor 
lowjrm  exii'i 
rritory  of  ( 
icer. 


e  rale  of  .subs, (ir'Withinaf 

A  1.    ,1,       ,.•  I   this  notice 
Ab   the  eVi(K„jth„f,|„,, 


iind  arnu:d  wiiii  I'.i'itish  toinali,i\v'.-s  -egon.  Dr 
ku'ves.  Is  rot  this  piool  <  iKiiipli  liform  m-.d 
lis   work  of  blood  is  (lunel     I  Tow   i 


111 


mWii 
,     ,,    ,  .  1  I      1      ■•  ftns.    This 

sir,  shall  this  innocent  blood  oi  your  ciii/.ens  tendcms  of 
to  you  in  vain?  How  long  shall  it  be  before 'list*,  and  ai 
interpose  to  arrest  these  crimes'?  Are  the  InvWy  ire^aied; 
piiisuilsof  your  ))coiile  lobe  thus  led  the  ^-'pcd  Ij^^'j, '"*""' 
Ihe  prey  ot  foreign  rapacity?     Does  not  liie 


ily,  il 
wttf  liie  en 
ticniy  which  is  sooilen  plendcd,  di  chire  llie.-ciWi  i^rrive 
sirits'legiiimiiie;  or  is  i!,  ihi'ii.but  an  it'h-  ^''i'"' 5V'durh"i""li 
lesjitimnip,  you  are  bound  to  protect  your  [y^  would  1 
izens  who  engage  in  il;  and  the  (jiieslioii  iilUiB;^hi!t,im:i 
greater  or  less  proli  ableiiess  iliau  (dher  ocM  t*»'y  "''^'l' 
tion-.is  not  one  to  be  considt-red,  cxcepi  bvll'^j^  he7\\ 
mil.    The  iSeiialor  fioiu  (South  (. 


lol  who  engd; 


! 


S,  to  disparage  the  trade,  said  yesterday 
men  Uiivu  "rown  rich  in  it.     Now  I   ai 


that 


ppr. 


individual  prai 
e'laflord  to  '^l- t;r;,jj  ^l^^l^  conipaiing  great  things  with  .small,  Ins 
•  own  sou.  All  aiij^pi^  i^  eciinlly  true  ol'  inannfaclures.  In  tiic.se, 
'"''•  "'''^'  ^^''-'"  '^^"iii  a  disproportion  Ijetween  the  lew  capitali.sts 
"")get  ricl),and  the  multiiiuk'.s  of  poor  operatives 
'■') never  canl  It  is  l)Ut  the  same  thing  in  either 
''^sail:  the  operatives  amass  not  the  splendid  for- 
es, nor  docs  every  hunter  and  trapper  hecome 
)hD  Jacob  Astor.    Chance  or  taste  leads  them 


udnes.     Out  ol 
lUrs,  they  may  \v 
iir  citi/ciis  niu' 
;    on    tiieir  saviit 
iderers,  to  burn  oi; 


seitier,  to  shut  oii^^pj  that  pursuit;  and  ii  forms  one  of  those  na 
ion  HI  tlicir  traliitjj^i  interests  which  we  are  bound  to  protect,  in 

acheap  eiiuivakii'jmpjj  ^j^Ij  gy^-n  the  humblest  branch  of  your 
the   (ornier  Mvalrygj^y   ^^    commerce.      Whenever    your  "sails 

beloie    liiey    wt'ijt^  the  sea,  in  no  mattcrwhat  clime,  aj.,'ainst  no 
IS  rapacious  and  z^^  whom,  the  national  arm  sireudies  out  its 
•.     And  wiiy  slu)ii!,{gp[jy„      Everywhere  but  in  this  unhappy  ter- 
lercilul  towards  n;,fy.^  tl,e  persons  and  the  pursuits  of  your  citizens 
^  ■watched  over.     You  count  no  cost  when  other 

rom  South  ^^arolii.jp^gf^.  .^^y^  concerned,  when  other  rij^dits  are  as- 
(1  ol  the  tin.e  wiii;|j^  ^,m  y^,  jt-cuil  here  from  a  triilin;^-  appix.pri- 


L)le  as 

sav 

He 


raur 

tiei'  ■  Indian  nil 

n   a  siiiiiJe 


est. 
rge  1 


lal 


lacy  ot  thai  rejii;;-,^  ^,  jj,\  cbjcc.l  of  the  highest  national  inipor- 
paiuts  were  led  ,gg^  because  it  enlists  no  sectioiial  inlliieiice. 
any  to  will!  jjjfuj^t^  for  instance,  your  supinene.ss  al)out  the 
s  against  01  (jgQu  Territoiy  with  your  alacrity  to  establish. 
He  may  perhaps  ii  gqarding  the  slave  coast  and  Liberia,  a  squad- 
hen  the  N()ri/,\vcmosting  ^tiOO.dOO  annually,  and  which  you  have 
pon  that  (,il  llui!>i;,j|ij  your^-'Clf  by  treaty  to  keep  up  for  five  years, 
PJ'''!"-'*^' ''''':''',h  great  expo.-ure  of  lives  and  vessels.  By  stip- 
.  ttion,  eighty  guns  (one-twelfth  of  your  force 
•i"'''!-oat)  is  kept  upon  this  service;  and,  as  your  na- 
reniiy  (another  Ic.ri  expenditure  amounts  to  tibout  seven  millions 
year,  this  (its  twelfth  part)  vdll  make,  in  five 
th'y  wluj^jg^  iliree  miilioiis  bestowed  in  watching  the 
thus  urge  to  unbrggj^f  Africa,  and  guarding  the  fre-'dom  of  tiie 
rolhcr  Kiislishn-.gror^^ce!  For  this  you  lavish  mill lon.'^  and  \'ou 
me  il:c  n.'luiai  ;  ^^g  $;i()(),C>00  to  the  great  American  and  nation- 
turn  his  secon(ui^g(,;  of  a>;-:ertingyour  territorial  rights  and  scl- 
eral ii.siHimeniiag  your  soil.  You  grant  at  once  what  furihers 
ivhich  the  citi/cii^j  slave  policy  of  a  rival  power,  and  deny  the 
nl  ot  the  way  wijansof  rescuing  from  its  grasp  vourov.-n  properly 
iicir  gam.s.  j  soil ! 

mattcis,  but  liohi  [Here  Mr.  L.  referred  again  to  llie  letter  of  Mr. 
pcrsonaily  knew  mlding,  which  we  have  given  at  large.*] 

ed  against  us:  sr-^ 

d  (.'as'<,  wl:Ose  ji;  "To  bIkjw  till!  operiiiii'iis  (if  iln^  niul.--iin  Bay  ri)m;:iiiiiy,  to 
'HI  'ifi'iils  wi'li'  "out  Atiu'ricMii  Hir  tv.i.iors,  pi.lilic  uricntion  is  rallcil  to  ilic 
■  'O  1  .  .  ^^  iQwjpapxiracM  iifMr.  Tiiwiiseuil';-cxco!l;,TitriiiMrk«ii!inii  tlie 
hat,  up  to  I'^'-i'rritory  1)1' Ore50ii,rcci!iiily  [lublidlieil  ill  tlie  Natiniiiil  lntoli- 
)j)le  have    been  ncer. 

e  rale  of  stibsLCiii  'Within  a  f^;vv  yrars,  sevrral  Ami  ricansCol"  wliom  the  writrr 

aVi    tlio    .v-''. ''*''  iiiKice  i^i  op.e)  li.ivo  prot'^.'^il  ilio  Rii.",l;y  iMoiirjiaiiia  to  the 

1\\\    Uie  cv  Id--"  ),jth  of  the.  Cdliiiiiliia,  wii'.i  iitijectspniircly  unciiinortcd  wiili 

1  Inr  hcKic  IS  pi!.-!  ,(|b  oroniiiiin'rce.    Miii':  was  ill'  ilt.ire  to  hco  a  ur.w  country, 

The    lei  ins  of  Bveolaiivoniiuc  f^n' its  own  ^ake,  anti  an  entliusiastx  fonil 

33  for  ii.iiiir.il  hi.suny. 

"The  r'a'iy  wiili  wiiich  1  ir.Tvclloit  irfi  tiTli'iipniieriCc,  Mi.i 

uri,  alioiii   i(if^  kitiiv  i>iirt  oiApiil,  IS-!!,  an.l  aniM'il  a:  ilic 

n'cnibci,   liaviiic  [.ciloriiieil  the 

\'0U    Will    tlPi!    li'"*^  juuuj^y  on    iit»r.-*»-'iiari;.     Fioiii   llii.-i  liiuiMinti!  Ortoliof, 

■p     36,  (wi'li   i:;r  ixrcinioii  of  iliii  fii-:-t  wiiucr,  wlii:'!i  I  jia.-'spilat 

"'■a  Samlwich  '  '      '  


iiiiii(icr.>  coiniii 
'  biikherio  in 
ains,  iliC  ravaiTi'  iiiah^  F  rt  VanciMivv  in  ?* 

Will    fii:i!   il  i<jlo  joinii^y  on   hor.-cliad; 

laiis  clad  in   ui.„  a„„,h...i,.i,  i 


.1.- 


egon. 


z 


1  loiiialiaw: 
liKKil    cncmgli  IK. 
(K.nel     How  l^l, 
Ol  voiir  ciii/enstendciiis  of 

lall'      "      "     ■■ 
Icsl 


ml--.)  niv 


fii-:-t  wiiucr,  Wllll'll  I 
psidci.rc  war;  in  III:'  Tenitorv 


ol 


Dr.    .Mi't.  iiiehlio,  iho  cliicf  koMor,  tiTaii'ilme  wiili 

.Kill  air.L'iilar  lvilllllll;^••',  .supiilyiofr  all  inv  wants,  and 

Ion   lao  wiili   cvi'iy  lai-ility  in  i!ie  pru.-'eciiiion  of  my 

Tl;i>!  in.   n),!invo,  tlio  nnil'onn  cliarartcrnliho  suppi' 

Hritisli  fori.s  in  ili.'.t  cotiiitvy.    Travel ler--.  nam- 

it  be  be fo IT '.lisU)  anil  all  wiio  are  not   iradcvii,  arc  liunliy  ami  niosi  liospj. 

Are  the   JnvWy  troauil;  but  iho  inomiMit  lim  visiicr  is  koown 'o  tradf  a 

I  ■,(•  il  ,,  ^•,^   ii  i*wr  ?\<'\i\  lioai  an  Indian,  iliat  moinoiit  he  is  riRcti'd  ironi  ihe 

il.sicnuie  spoil  inijjin.,iiy,  loidall  coniinnniiM'ion  lifiwci-n   liini  and  ilir.  ol!i 

Does    not    tiie  i^nittf  liionompany  coasrsi.     When  (^^plai,l   Wyc.ili,  willi  hif< 

:!    diclare  these  l*nf»  ''rrivt'd  ai   W.illa-Walla   fort,  on  Ins  pas.-'aec  down  tlii> 

lut  an  it'le  folin'"''*''^''''''  '"   ^^'''^  fil'i'T''''  hy  'he  suii.  riniendi'nt  10  promi.--'i- 

'  [lit  dmiiis  hi-i  j  niriioy  Iroin  ilioncf  lo  Vaiiconvcr — '-^W  miles 

I    protect    yolll    ^|^  would  ooihuya  heaver  .skin;  tlio  fiinoiionaiy  a.^.'iuriiiJ 

I  lie   (jllfslioll    ol  lliflhal.nnii'ss  In-  coipenlrd  so  to  bin, I  liini.<i'll,  he  W(niN  stud 

llsail    t.lhcr   OCfi:  Ptely  aluMd  of  him  which  .shoold  be  ins'rnclid  to  pnrchar-'e 

,.,"i'  „,!,,,,  i,,.,;?ei!!r  braver  .^kin  Iron)  ihc   Iiidi.ins  on  ilie  roiiie.  at  aprice 

leil    CMcpl  m  1  rtSfji  hecVVyeilO  coulJ  iwi  airoid  to  jiay 

ot  lioiu  tooulh  t 


It  is  a  fact,  iiotU' 


The  RPneral  objection  to  the  bill  hns  been  con- 
fined to  the  grants  of  land.  The  South  Carolina 
Senators  alone  have  viewed  the  establi.shmenl  of 
military  posts  js  a  violation  of  the  convention. 
And  I  understood  one  of  those  Senators  to  a.s,sert 
even  that,  under  the  treaty,  we  could  not  extend 
overtlu^  territory  our  legal  jurisdiction,  as  Britain 
has  done. 

[Mr.  IMcnuKFiEhere  assured  Mr.  L.  that  he  had 
misapprehended  him:  he  held  that  we  could  ex- 
tend our  jurisdiction  over  the  Indians  and  our  own 
citizens.] 

INIr.  Linn.  Well,  sir,  I  stand  corrected.  I  now 
hold  in  my  hand  a  copy  of  the  contract  which  the 
Hudson  Hay  Company  passes  with  its  employees, 
by  which  it  is  agreeu  that  when  the  employee  has 
served  a  certain  number  of  years,  and  wishes  to 
retire,  he  shall  have  a  grant  of  fifty  acres  of  land, 
asuit  of  the  company's  clothes,  &c.,he  binding  him- 
self to  a  sort  of  feudal  tenure  to  muster  and  bear 
arms  when  needed. 

Now,  sir,  docs  not  this  contract  inconteslibly  es- 
tablish, on  their  part,  everything  which  it  is  denied 
that  we  can  dol  Is  it  to  besupposed  that  the  com- 
pany does  not  keep  these  engagements!  That  can- 
not be;  and  we  know  that  their  retired  servants 
have  lor  some  time  had  settlements  and  occupied 
lands,  in  conformity  with  these  agreements  I  ask 
Senators,  then,  are  we  always  to  argue  against  our- 
selves'?— always  to  interpret  our  national  duties  in 
favor  of  other  nations,  and  to  our  own  detrimentf 
Was  it  not  thus  in  1828,  when  gentlemen  contend- 
ed that  we  could  not  establish  military  posts  in  the 
tcrrilory,  nor  extend  our  jurisdiction  over  it!  This, 
too,  when  Great  Britain  had  already  taken  those 
steps  civer  liie  v.holc  northwest,  anil  even  over  n 
pari  of  our  Icrrltonj  oil,  this  side  Ike  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. 

But  gentlemen  surely  mistake  when  they  im- 
agine that  thisBriiish  jurisdiction  can  be  confined 
to  British  subjects  alone.  Pray,  sir,  were  an 
American  to  commit  muider  oh  an  employee  of 
the  company,  docs  anybody  believe  that  he  would 
not  he  tiied  and  liangcd  under  this  British  law"? 
The  English  inini.siry,  I  know,  has  said  (as  Mr. 
Gallatin  tells  us)  thai  it  was  not  intended  to  be  ap- 
plied to  any  but  British  subjects  and  Indians.  But 
what  thenl  What  will  tiie  opinion  of  this  or  that 
minisior  sicrnify,  a  case  having  actually  occurred'? 
Byseitleii  law,  any  denizen  coming  wiihin  its  ju- 
risdiction, and  ccmmiitinga  crime,  will  be  punish- 
ed; and  if  there  is  a  British  judge  or  ju.--tice  of  the 
peace  there,  he  will  he  bound  to  execute  this  law, 
to  its  letter,  against  Americans  as  all  others. 

Myfiieiul  from  Vermont  [Mr.  PKf.nrs]  made  it 
'dear  that,  iitidrr  this  law,  controversies  lilicwi.se 
as  to  land  tiiles  between  citizens  of  the  two  coun- 
iiit's  would  pass  under  this  juii.sdiclion.  If  so, 
why  not  ns  much  criminal  uffcnccs?  Rut  as  to 
such  scrupulous  limiiing  oftheirlcga!  a.-sumplions', 
they  are  lar  mi  in-  likely  to  enlarge  ihem.  I  never 
heard  of  an  Indiui  being  hung  under  that  law;  but 
I  have  latelv  learned  the  occurrence  of   a  case 


1  jius  in  ihat  ronnlry,  ihit  the  honorable  company  has  a  sum  of 
money,  amonnini;  lo  .«'  veral  lliou.-and  ponndri  Hterlintr,  laid 
aside  at  V.uiconvei,  lor  the  sole  purpo.=e  of  oppogin;.'  all  who 
may  C(nne  to  inn  rfere  with  it.s  nioriopoly.  liy  porchasiei;  alex- 
I  rbiiant  prices  ;dl  llic  furs  in  jios  cs-'sion  of  ihe  Indianp,  and 
thus  forrii.c  the  .selilcr  n)rome  to  lerm.«,  or  ihivii.?  Iiiiii  from 
the  connlry.  If  It  bean  individual  wiio  i.s  ihns  .''tarved  into 
.-•nbniisf'on,  he  iticn  nsnally  clea's;  a  fiiece  of  land  on  the  Wal- 
lainet  rivrr,  lal.esi  an  In  iaii  wife,  arai  pnrclia?e.j  (nrs  of  the 
naiivei--,  which,  by  previmi?  confrnc,  tie  i."  bom.d  to  tell  to  the 
coiiipuny  atan  advuiicu  wliich  is  ij.ited  by  ihc  G'ovcrnor." 


I 


w 


8 


where  «  half-hrccd  Indian,  for  the  murder  of  an 
Eiglishmnii,  was  iricd,  convicifil,  and  hiiii:,'— a 
mode  of  denlh  the  most  re[)Ui;tKUil  to  ;ill  an  In- 
dian's prejudices.  Wliy  .shunld  ihis  ml  liavi-  been 
done  upon  an  Americaii  citi/enl  Wljal  liave  you 
(lone  to  insuri!  his  surrender  to  your  own  courts? — 
what  to  protect  his  pursuits,  doubly  le^^iiiniaie  boili 
by  your  teiritorial  liiic  and  the  siipiilaiiuiis  ol  the 
convcniionl 

You  do  not,  prubably,  know  the  number  of  men 
of  MassachusL'its,  of  New  IJampshiie,  of  Misiouri, 
and  of  oiher  State-',  who  would  push  llioir  foi  tunes 
in  that  territory,  and  carry  eivilizatiun  tliither. 
could  they  but  expcet  from  you  the  protection  and 
the  favor  which  En-iland,  Ihroutih  the  lludann  Jiay 
Co7iipi/ny,  i^ rants  lo  her  pcojdc.  Vour  Stales  of  the 
East  and  the  West  will  not  send  forth  tiieir  swanus, 
because  they  believe  their  Goveinmcnt  too  liiuid 
or  too  nii:i,'anlly  to  prot'  cl  or  toas.-ist  them.  Tiicy 
never  will  believe  you  in  earnest  till,  by  some 
measure  as  positive  as  this,  you  prove  to  ilicin 
that  you  regard  your  title  as  indeleasible,  imd  give 
them  a  pledge  of  your  intentions  that  cannot  b-  ic- 
tracted.  I  have  seen  many  letters  to  this  etfecf, 
and  know  thai  such  is  the  general  doubt  which 
holds  back  numbers  who  desire  to  go.  Your  peo- 
ple require  arlion  of  some  kind;  and  I  will  feel  that 
I  have  not  lived  in  vain,  if  this  bill  tliould  have 
thoefteet  of  bringing  the  subject  to  some  definite 
conclusion. 

These  are  the  views  of  those  who  look  only  to 
the  earthly  rewards  of  hazardous  enterprise.  But 
the  Eastern  Stales  furnish  others,  whom  asncred 
call  has  led  to  trace  the  pathless  wif^erness,  care- 
less of  all  human  protection;  who,  in  the  irur'  spirit 
of  Cliristiun  pliilaruhriipy,  h.ivc  brcved  evciypii- 
vation  and  danger  to  carry  to  ihc  valleys  of  the 
Oregon  and  the  Wallamol  the  lighi  of  the  G'osncl, 
and  its  attendant,  civilization;  nccomplisb'ing 
there,  by  individual  devoiedness,  'hose  noble  bene- 
fits which  it  was  your  part  to  have  performed.  The 
Christian  spirit  of  men  h;i<  oui<tripped  ilie  tardy 
policy  and  goodness  of  the  Governmer,t;  and  ihcse 
Gospel-bearers  have  at  once  formed  a  parndise, 
v.'here  your  statesmen  imagine  nothing  but  slerii 
sands,  or  a  surface  blacken  ■  I  by  volcnnic  fires. 

Of  the  horrors  ofsncli  ■  Mijourn  the  Sermtor  from 
South  Carolina  [Mr.  rWi.DLFKiK]  seems  to  have 
formed  a  particu  ally  lively  conception,  and  has 
conveyed  it  (as  was  to  b.;*  expected)  in  a  very  pow- 
erful Ibrm.  Had  he  (he  said)  an  honest  or  deserv- 
ing son,  who  tiesired  to  migra  e  thither,  he  wouU! 
say  to  him,  "Don't  go!  stay  where  you  are!''  But, 
had  he  one  fit  for  a  convici-ship  or  Eoianv  Bay,  he  ' 
would  tell  him,  without  hesitation,  "Gio,  by  all 
means !" 

Now,  for  tlie   Senator's   informraio'.i,  I  beg  to 
read  a  few  well-authenticated  descriptions  ut  this 
blasted  land  of  his.    The  reports  t>f  ihiMnission-| 
aries,  and  the  narratives  of  Captain  Wilkes  and  uf  I 
Mr.  Peale,   the  naturalist,  gii'e  a  very  difilinent: 
picture.    They-gree  that,  for  pictnre-qne  beamy,' 
for  exuberant  leiiility,  an<l  for  salubrity  ot  climate, ! 
no  region  of  the  earth,  of  equal  extent,  surpnsses} 
the  vales  and  the  tabk  -lands  of  the  Ore'.;on.  There, 
too,  they  tell  you,  instead  of  the  dissoluteness  of 
such  a  population  as  the  Senator  thinks  it  only  fit 
for,  are  seen  gentleness,  piety,  intelligenee,  and 
peace,  which  seem  to  have  their  chosen  sc-.t  in  ihe 
beautifnl    valley   of  ihj    Wallamet.     Thev   are 
law-abiding  and  Kiw-lovint;;  they  are  active,  yet 
quiet;  no  strifes  or  broils,  suicides  or  murders.   No 


compulsion  of  ihe  law  is  needed  to  make  then  ^acts  Cil 
theirdebi>— a  contrast,  on  this  verge  of  en  letioi 
tioii,  (as  the  Sennioi   supposes  il,)  at  which  ;,  ries  oil 
lion  ol  his  eonsiituenis,  not   to  say  my  own,  iiubli-hiT 
well  blush.     Ife  is  not  less  mistaken  as  to  tfc^al  (,t  ll 
eenary  motives  which,  he  tlunks,  c:tn  aloiii' ii|jliciit[ 
led   these    wanderers  ^o   lar.     Was   it  sueli,tEer  nl 
biouchl  our  .sturdy  ancestors  *o  Ihe  rock  otmtes  \\ 
mouth?    May  not  their  descendants  speed  tHodsoiF 
faiihest  Wtsi  with  liivC  visions  of  some  noble  letller- 
riiy  to  be  realized?    There  is  a  fascination  in  jfpic 
half-real  dreams  whieh   I  have  witnessed  ar.  jupied 
ami  had  I  wealth  to  pay,  orcould  such  tl!ii;.:!lu8ivi 
bought,  I  know  not  what  I  wouiil  give  to  ha;  ;he'l)c^i| 
the  wild   and  strange   rapture  with   whi?li  l:he  Ami 
must  have  gnzcd,  fir  the  first  lime,  Irom  ih"  well  asj 
mit  oltlic  Cumberlmd  mountains  over  the  iMofthe  ij 
less  plain  of  Kentucky;  or  3et,  again,  when  h      _^  ^{g 
passed  through   tint    Edeii-like    wildeiiies-,  pQ^m,' 
from  the  lop  of  one  ol  the  mourils  "'  '^ ''m  in  the -| 
race,  looked,  in  bewildered  delight,  <.ver  lhe.t^^„y  ^\\ 
nificent  banks  and  streams  of  the  Ohio.  'VancoJ 

These,  sir,  are  sensations  not  to  be  purcVspring 
There  is  in  lliem  no  lonch  of  nnyihiir   nieici;52|  deg 
and  ihey  animnie  men  to  ventures  w.iich  no  theclin 
can  repay,  bin  which  surely,  in  finding  or  I'cuinadesci 
empires  ior  us,  deserve  em  ouragemeni  ami  proOIl  tire 
tioii,as  much  as  any  Inbor.-i  of  that  more  m  Mtune 
kind  which  seek,  and  make  themselves  in  m' a  stniei 
rewards  at  home.    There  are  men  who  go  fi  r  from  tl 
the  wilderness  like  our  first  paren's,  when  Gwi'  United 
ihein  forth  from  the  garden  of  EtU  ii  to  sub-ii' which 
earlii.     Such  jedings,  to  our  own  immedia;   tion  wi 
cesiors,  she  1  an  ideal  beauty  over  the  liarren 
ol    Plym'uih,  one  dny,  under  lluur  all  sub 
spirit,  to  blossom  like  the  ro-e.    'ihc  s.iae  in 
yet  animates  their  race,  and  will  bear  thorn  n 
de.-erts,  as  of  old  across  the  deep,  give  them 


who  1; 
;on  Te 

;iss; 

the   CO 
fine  tin 


the  protection  of  your  laws  and  tlie  cuuntei;.  Hy  has 
of  tlie  Government,  ■'  A  Ic 

I  lecolleet,  Mr.  President,  at  the  la-t  ses- :   transini 
Congress  to  have  heard  a  venerable  and  lesp    ing. 
lady  say  that,  when  she  removed,  at  the  eii    portaiit 
the  Revolution,  from  Annapolis  to  Cimiberlar:    Deyond 
Maryland,  she  was  looked  upon  as  having  :  also  re 
out  of  the  world,  an  1  as  about  tci  become  ii  ,- 
savage.    In  such  n  light  were  your  lorefather- ' 
Batkk  of  Massachuseiis  in  tl'.e  chair]  viewed  w 
in  their  forlorn  search  for  freedom,  ihey  abaiiil 
the  ease  of  civilized  life,  and,  for   treer  he 
braved  the  dangers  of  the  deep  and  the  terr. 
a  savage  shore.     They  but  obeyed  the  instin 
our  peeuliiir  race — thai,  invincible  hmdng  fo, 
erty  and  sp;ice  which  impels  those  of  Anglo-b; 
de-cent  to  trace  iherud'st  trncis,  the  wildest  ■ 
range  the  Atlaniic  and  the  Jiuliiui  wa^ue  of  wa 
explore  the  vast  Pacific,  and  bienk  ilirnu^li 
icy  barriers  ot  the  polar  oceans     With  a  spiii' 
newed  from  our  virgin  soil,  and  from  Natme  ; 
in  Ihis  iintnme  I  continent,  it  looks  back  to  the  ; 
of  our  forefathers,  half  ready  to  spr^  ad  ther" 
rc'^cr,rr(iiion  wliieh  coiislanlly  ngilnt'.'s  it.-elf  (' 
nations  may  enbirTc-  thems  Ives  by  physical 
quests;  but  we  (I  thank  God  for  it!)  enn  sn! 
only  by  the  dominion  of  mind  the  mcral  empii 
institutions.    If  neighboring  countries  are,  ni 
fulu'"e  lime,  robe  ad(ied  toonr  Union,  it  will  be: 
who  will  have  sought  the  blessings  of  our  in- 
lions;  not  we  who  will  have  coveted  tlie  cidn- 
menl  of   our  territory  by   ccmqucring   fle.-ts  : 
armies. 

[Here  Mr.  Linn  proceeded  to  read  a  sciies  of. 


Vancoi 
doif,  a^ 
But,  in 
of  the 
are  ihe 
pelled 
S,)  1 
etfer  di 
tory  m 
that  p; 
for  a  r 
set  up 
no  ill 

AND   M 

the  sa 

territd 
to  plu 
force, 
▼an  in: 
every 
leciir. 
vorab 
under 
sh'in 
,lerrii' 
tnan". 
abauc 


4 


yf 


heeded  to  make  tlinr.fMts  from  ihe.iofiunicnlsti)  which  he  had  rof^Mici!; 
"  ""''  ^^''"<'  "'■  civ  letter  Horn  Alvnn  F.  Waller,  om.'  oftlu!  m.ssii'U- 
'"^i>  II, )  111  whic!)  .Tries  on  the  Waihimet,  daied  (ith  April,  1h1->  and 
"'  '"•'^^yiny  own,  i,ubiis|„.,i  in  tiic  Clirisiiati  Ailvotatc  and  Joui- 
^  >'i''^'nken  as  to  il,(.,ai  el  D.'c  niher  lasi;  whicii,  nlicr  spuakin;,'  in  the 
'  mnilcs  cm  nlone  ,jj||Jicsit  terms  of  liic  aa;riciiltural,  commercial, and 
lur.  ^  Was  it  snili,tEer  advanlat^'cs  ul'the  cDuniry,  relcr;  m  ilie  ilis- 
ors  '()  ilie  ro'lc  dDotts  which  have  already  occurred  between  ihe 
eseendants  sj  ced  i,  Hadsun  Hay  Company  and  tiie  recent  American 
•  I'lnsot  >"mi.' no!)],,  lettlers.  Tlie  company  elr.imii.^,  under  Ihe  ri;,'lii 
"  IS  a  lascinatidn  n,  jjpi-f  cmpiion,  some  of  the  f:h()ict'  t  spots  now  oc- 
iKive  witnessed  ail  ;upijecl  by  American  settlers;  winch  prove>,  Con- 
or conid  such  tliir-lujivcly,  llie  intentions  of  ihe  company  lu  occupy 

"■on!(,  ,<,m'e  to  liai  :hed)c>l' paits  of  ilie  lerriiorv,  to  the  c\cIiimoii  of 
Hnre  with  whi-li  Ithe  Americans.  Will  not  iliese  land  disputes,  as 
ii'stluiip,  liom  lii'wellas  all  others,  be  brou-ht  under  Ihe  operation 
uniains  ove;' the  mofthe  British  ad  of  Parliament  of  1821? 

• '■    ^' '"'  ^^hen  1;      ^  series  of  ihermometrieal   observations  froiti 


"mom  Y;,''''^:""-',^^  Doctor   r«,rry,  by  Mr.  Ball,   which  mav  be  luund 
drli''l)t  ',."■'!''  inthe'2)ihahd-Jliih  vohimesorSilliman'sJo'iina'; 
oi  the  01  i^^''  ' "^  '^*'i'  '^'"'^v  '''^  av(  ra<,'e  wiiuer  lemperaiLire  ai.  Kon 
1   '  ' ''•  Vancouver   to  lie  -lij  tlcijiccs  ol  Fahrenheit;  the 

Ts  not  to  be  piirc'ispriiir^  IS  degree:;  ihesnmtiier  (J.)  i!eL;rees;  the  tail 
<il  nnyihiii'  iiieic!  :52J  (!e;,Mecs.  ^  This  is  probably  a  litile  milder  tlian 
■entiires  w.iich  no  the  climate  of  Norlulk,  Virginia,  Mr.  L.  also  read 
',  in  finding  or  fcijina  descriptive  letter  of  Mr.  Tiiian  Peale,  dated  here 
oiirnireincni  ninl  p'ooO  the  -JSih  ultimo;  another  Horn  Major  llobert 
"■<  ol'  that  iMort:  .,  MtK,ic,(lateda!  \V;illamei,(Oieyon,)Maich:-),  IS-l'i; 
themselves  in  >;' a  st-nement  from    Mr.    VValdron,   in  a  late  iettei' 


re  men  m-ho  txo  i\ 
paren's,  wlicn  Go 
of  Eden  to  subii, 
ir  own  irn media; 
ty  over  the  barren 


wv    •  >.-    •••^v..-        - -  ...  ». . ,         —        -~ 

from  the  same  place;  a  letter  of  Capl.  yieen,  (d'  the 
(Jniied  Slates  dragoons,  from  Fort  Leavenworth,  in 


whieli  he  say.s:  "1  have  lately  had  some  conversa- 
tion wi:li  Col.  Baiisoii  ol  Jackson  county,  Missouri, 
who  has  returned  a  shoit  tiiiie -^ince  ficm  the  Oic- 
gon  Territuiy,  an  '  several  oiher  gentlemen  frran 
Miss.:,ii;  lli.j'  spe.ilc  i.i  the  mo.--',  exakcd  iei'ii!^  of 
the    country,  soil,  ciimate,    v/ater-power,    lie:ihh, 

,,,,        fiOe  limber,  and  many  other  advantage-;  thai  coun- 

and  tlie  cuuntci;   {t^  has  over   Missouri." 

A  Iciter  of  the  Messrs.  Renson,  of  A'cw  York, 
transmitting  the  siatemenl  of  Captain  Spahi- 
ing.       All  tlie<e  are  documents,    not  merely  im- 

Eortaiit,  bm  interesting  in  themselves,  thouiih 
eyonil  our  present  command  ol  space.  He 
also  referrcil  lo  the  w^dl-known  voyag.'is.  Cook, 
Vancouver,  Portloi'ke,DixoM,  Kruscn-  tiern,  Langs- 
dorf,  as  well  asLewi>anil  (Jlarke,  and  t^ome  o  hers 

T*...  '; ...,.:„_ 1 K„_    -•.-  .u„   ...... 


der  their  all  sn!) 
e.  'ihe  >.tiic  111 
will  bear  tlicni  ;, 
deen.  give  thfiu 


,  nl  the  liT-t  scss 
-■ncrable  ami  resp 
fiioved,  at  the  c;, 
'o!i-  lo  Ciniiberlai: 
upon  as  having 
'tU  to  become  a  .'• 
your  forefaihei* 


e  chair]  viewed  w   But,  intciestins:  as  the  matter  becomes,  in  the  view 
cdom,  they  aband    of  ilie  present  naticjnal  (pie<tion,  and  imj'orir.nt  as 

nil       A...      t  . 1  *-_  .  ' —  > ...  ..:  .1   .  I  I.  ..       u 1   .  .    . .!..,«. ,    


c 

nil,  for   Jicer  Im 
;ep  and  the  tei  r, 
obeyed  the  insiir 
leihle  lon'.-ing  l\,, 
those  of  Anglo-!^: 
^ets,  the  wiiciest  ■ 
dian  v.'astp  of  wa 
il  bienk  ilirou^li 
lis.     Wiih  a  spi;i; 
ml  from  Nat  ore  i 
Doks  back  to  ihe  ; 
'  k)  spr;  ail  tlicr" 
agitates  if>pl/'  () 
yes  by  physical 
Cor  It!)  can  sat 
the  incrnl  em|!ii 
'o'uilries  are.  a! 
fJnion,  it  will' be: 
sings  of  our  ine 
'oveted  (he  enin' , 
iqiicring   fleets  .■ 

J  read  a  sciiesof. 


areiiie  inaierinls  llin-.  broiighl  together,  wc  aie  com- 
pelled here  lo  break  oil!'.] 

S.)  Utile  before  1S13  or  1S14  did  Great  Eri  ain 
eV^'r  doubt  your  claim  to  the  laLe!y-contc>Led  terri- 
tory 111  Maine,  thai  in  1SI4  si;e  propo-^ed  in pu.rcli<i.'ic 
that  part  of  it  which  she  desired  She  next  treated 
fpr  a  right  of  way.  It  was  refused;  and  sheth-n 
S8t  up  a  claim  to  the  soil.  Tb.is  method  has  ^ped 
no  ill  with  her;  for  she  has  '/oi  what  she  wanhd, 
AND  :\i4Di'.  YOU  p.w  roR  IT.  1  Icr  Oregon  game  is 
the  same.  She  has  set  her  heart  upon  a  strip  of 
territoi  y  noiih  ol'ihc  (Jrciroii,  and  seemsdeiermmett 
to  pluck  it  J'rom  ns,  eiiher  by  circumvention  or 
force.  Aware  ol  tlie  poliiical  as  well  as  legal  ad- 
vantages of  possesion,  she  is  strengthening  iiers  in 
every  way  not  too  diKX-lly  responsible.  She  is  sp- 
lecimg  and  occupying  the  best  lands,  the  mosi  I'a- 
voral.)ie  sites.  The.e  she  secures  to  ih"  settlers 
under  comracls.  For  any  counieraciion  of  yours, 
.,  she  may  take,  and  is  taking,  jiossession  of  the  whole 
'■*4erriioi'y.  She  has  appropr'Tted  sites  for  mills. 
v/man'.:raclori;Sj  and  tarnrs.  If  one  of  these  has  b'^en 
abandont'd  for  a  better,  she  reverts  to  it,  if  a  citizea 


of  yours  occupies  it,  and  eji-cis  him.    She  tells  her 

people  slie  will  protect  them  in  wlialever  ihey  have 

laiil,  or  may  lay,  their  liaii  Is  upon,     If  she  can 

le'-Miimaiely  do  tlii'<,  why  inny  net    we!     Is  this  a 

joint  iH.'cupation  of  wbadi  she  is  lo  have  the  siije 

benelii?     Had  yoii  as  many  citi/ens  ihere  as  she, 

you  would  be  coiniieiled  lo  protect  llieiii;  anil  if  you 

I  have  not,  why  is  it  bui  becaiiM'  she  keeps  ihem  olF, 

and  you  refii.se  l.i  otlerthem  the  indneemenis  which 

I --he  iuilds  out?    Give  ihem  a  pro^pedive  grant  of 

I  lands,  and  insure  ihemflhe  shelter  of  your  laws, 

and  they  will  soon  congivgiie  ihere  in  force  enough 

to  secure  your  rights  and  ile'ir  own. 

The  .Senator  Irom  Souih  Carolina  somewhat  ii> 
consi-iinitly  urges  that  tlie  country  is  bleak,  bar- 
ren, volcanic,  rocky,  a  wasie  always  Hooded  when 
K  is  not  parchefi;and  insists  that,  worthless- as  it 
is,  Great  Ijiilain  will  go  at  once  to  war  for  it. 
S  range  that  she  should  in  IRlS  hav-  held  .so  tc- 
iiaciiMi^ly  lo  what  is  so  wopliless!  Stranger  still 
ili.il  she  should  have  stuck  yet  closer  to  it  in  1.S27, 
when  .sju!  !;ad  had  Mill  ampler  time  to  learn  the 
b. 'Otlossness  of  the  possc.ssioii !  And  strangest  of 
all,  thai  she  should  still  clin.g  to  it  with  the  gra-p  of 
de;;lh  !  .Sir,  I  cannot  I'or  my  life  help  thinking 
that  slie  and  the  Senator  have  formed  a  very  dil- 
Icrent  estimate  of  the  teriiiory,  and  that  she  is 
(as  siie  ought  lo  b')  a  good  deal  the  Ix-tter  inlorm- 
ed.  Slicknows  well  i'ssoil, climate, and  physical  re- 
sources, and  jier'"e'ly  coinprchends  iis  commer- 
cial and  get'graphier'l  importance.  And  know- 
ing all  this,  she  was  leady  to  sink  all  sense  of 
justice,  s'.itle  all  respect  Ibr  our  clear  title,  and 
has'en  to  root  her  interesi.s  in  the  soil,  so  as  to  se- 
cure the  .strong,  even  when  most  wroiigl'ul,  title 
.:f  r";s?s.-lon. 

As  proof,  among  other  thing'--,  of  the  woitidess- 
n''ss  of  the  I 'rritoiy,  the  Scnaicir  yesterday  main- 
tained that,  in  the  upper  conniry,  rain  never  falls; 
and  mill.' lower,  hardly  ever  eea-es.  Now,  ihe 
tiict- darived  from  intelligent  residents  show  that 
111  those  parts  ofthe  country  where  it  seldom  rains, 
copious  dews  supply  Ihe  necessary  nud-iure  for 
Vegetable  liJ'e;  while  the  streams  and  rills  which 
on  all  sides  descend  from  the  mountains,  enter- 
tain a  perpetual  freshness  in  the  arable  and  ]ias- 
turc  lands.  It  is  shown,  too,  that,  on  the  coast  ;muI 
lowlands,  what  is  called  the  rain)'  season  is  one 
■  f  gentle  showers,  not  of  deluges  of  rain.  If  they 
liave  more  rain,  they  have  less  frost  and  .snow 
than  o'her  countries,  more  fijrlility,  and  not  Ij.-s 
health. 

But  the  docnmentary  information  necnmulr.ied 
here  for  MJine  year-<  past  makes  all  who  are  con- 
versant with  it  aware  that  the  Senator  mistakes 
the  character  of  the  plains  on  the  east  as  well  as 
the  west  side  of  the  Rocky  Mounts!  s.  He  ima- 
gines ihat  the  vast  plains  which  stri-tch  from  the 
base  of  thai  (diain  to  ihe  borders  of  our  iiiliabiiecl 
territories  are  desert  sanils,  destitute  alike  of  ve.ge- 
laiion  and  water.  AVc  all  know  thai  tliis  is  noiso: 
that  \\\c-c  great  plains  are  principally  rich  prairie 
lands,  sustaining  countless  herds  of  anielones,  deer, 
and  bulUiloes,  and  capable  of  most  ptotit.^ble  culti- 
vation. They  are  iniersccfed  by  great  rivers,  led 
by  innumerable  streams,  supplied  by  les-er  Iribu- 
t;)ri>?s,  diverging  in  every  direction."  Timber  cer- 
tainly is  scarce;  but  it  springs  up  and  grows  v/iih 
the  population,  and  the  banks  of  the  .streams  afford 
everywhere  strip-  of  wood,  quite  sufhcient  to  supply 
any  population  that  can,  for  a  good  manyjears, 
fix  itself  there.    Mistalcen,  as  the  Senator  is,  as  to 


10 


.^H  what  lies  comparatively  near,  lam  not  surprised 

'  that  he  .^shoultl  misconceive  what  is  so  remote — the 

country  of'tlie  Oiwyon.  He  appears,  also,  not  to  be 
aware  thai,  from  tl\e  lower  Oliio  to  the  eastern 
skirls  ol  tiie  Hocky  iVIoimtains,  it  is  une  vast  coal- 
field, in  its  lower  aliitiules,  iiiierniixed  with  oilier 
mineral  regions,  whose  value  seems  almost  without 
a  limit. 

Sir,  I  confess  that  this  wealth  of  the  surface,  and 
the  slill  vaster  natural  treasuries  that  lie  beneatii, 
nnmined  but  nut  unknown,  have  awakened  in.  me, 
and  seem  to  me  to  ustily,  the  expeclaiions  which 
the  Senator  considers  so  visionary.  Over  such 
a  region,  ihe  passage  from  the  richest  valley  in  the 
world — that  of  the  Mississippi— to  a  new  and  wide 
commercial  empire,  that  must  presently  start  up  on 
the  Pacific,  I  cannot  tiiiiik  railroads  and  canals 
mere  day-dreams.  The  wonders  vvhich  have, 
within  the  last  twenty  years,  iieeii  achieved  in  those 
things,  may  well  oxcu>e  those  who  look  upon  tlie 
results  1  have  nienlioiied  as  possible,  even  within 
the  compass  ot  the  present  generation.  All  pre- 
dictions, even  the  most  sanguine,  have  in  this 
country  been  so  distanced  by  the  actual  ])ro,<Tress  ol 
its  prosperity,  that  gentleinen  wiio  I'oreiell  the 
other  way  sliould  beware  of  the  error  of  the 
Milleriles,  and  not  lay  the  accomplishmenis  of 
their  projjhecies  too  close  at  liand.  Even  in 
the  faiih  of  the  bold  enthusiasts  who  landed  at 
Plymouth  Rock,  was  there  one  anient  enough  to 
imagine  that  their  descendants  would,  in  live 
cenliirics,  perlbnn  what  1ms  been  etlt-cied  in  two? 
It  was  said  by  General  Cass,  m  his  discourse  be- 
fore the  lli>toric;'J  Society  of  this  cily,  "  that 
he  had  converged  w.lh  those  who  had  talked 
Willi  tlie  i.liiklren  of  the  pilgrims."'  !n  thai 
mere  space  of  lime,  what  amazing  changes'. 
What  Jill  empire  has  risen  up,  like  an  ex 
halation  fit. in  earth!  A  new  |)ec/nle  h.is  been 
added  to  the  great  household  of  naiions,  and  is  al- 
ready among  the  first  in  ilie  world!  Thc^re  arc 
those  amongst  us  who  havelalkcd  v.iih  Daniel  f'ocn, 
that  ovciiaiul  (,'aluiubus  wlu)  fust  explored  ilie  re- 
cesses vi  ilial  immense  wililerness  in  which  we 
now  count  many  Slates,  terming  wi'.li  |-.('pula!iun 
and  wc;i!lli,and  "g'^'d  with  all  the  giils  of  civiliza- 
tion. Wliai  imaginaiion  has  y,  t  mitstripped  ihe 
gigantic  pace  a!  winch  improvement  niarche- 
amongst  us]  Sir,  1  can  well  conceive  the  tumuli 
of  delight  which  must  have  swedcd  tl.e  bosom  o' 
Clarke,  when,  Irom  tlie  bluiriie  hadgaiiieil,  he  fiisi 
heaiil  the  roar  of  ihe  gieit  ocean,  and  saw  the 
surges  of  the  Pac'lic  bailiiiig  ihe  territory  he  had 
expior  d.  In  the  vision  ol' I'lat  moMieiit,  lie  saw 
thiougli  the  diin  visia  I'f  the  Tuiure  rising  Slates  o! 
his  comiti ymeiispreadingalong  iliat  shore,  and  the 
v.hilcsai!^  ul'  their  commerre  wafnng  along  Ihe 
bosom  of  iliat  peaceful  sea  ihe  bailvii  ic  wealiii  of 
the  Etsi,  in  reiuiii  lor  ihe  moie  solid  friiils  of  our 
own  indusiry.  One  cannot  read  (he  warm  and 
striuin^  dcs.  lipliou  of  wna'.  he  saw  and  felt,  with- 
out sharing'  in  his  enllmsinsm.  S  une  of  ns  now 
here  have  shaken  hands  with  Boon,  wiih  Clarke, 
with  C",.-.s,  who  had  oficn  convLr>ed  witli  a  r(da- 
tive,  a  eonlemiKirary  of  the  first-born  td'  the  Pil- 
grim fathers.  What  a  picture  does  this  pre-eni 
for  the  contempl.nion  of  ilie  siaiesman  and  philo-- 
ophor!  The  chain  is  coinpletinVom  (he  Ailaniic 
to  ihe  Pacific  o^'can— from  the  fii>t-l),)rn  of  Mas<a 
clms.'iis,  loClatkeonihe  borders  of  the  Wesiern 
ocean, 

'But  the  Scualor  from  South  Carolina  thinks  the 


ba 


Rocky  Mountains  impracticable  to  road  makit 
He  is  mistaken.  Even  in  a  slate  of  nature,  ih  tracts 
have  easy  passes,  well  known  for  the  last  thirie^^''?'|^| 
years  to  oiir  traders  and  travellers.  They  w;  .  .•^^"L 
will  venture  unprotected,  perform  the  jouir.'."^''^! 
readily  in  wagons,  with  their  women  and  chikln  '"^y^J 
over  beaten  louies — by  one  principal  one  ts;^^'^"' 
cially,  established  for  the  last  fifteen  years,  alo'^**^ 
ihe  smooth,  even  surface  of  the  inclined  'plane  ^^^^i*;! 
the  river  Platte.  Along  this  many  families  ha^-  y-  P 
gone,  threading  the  mountain  defiles,  descetKii:^'^ 
the  western  slope,  and  arriving  at  the  Walla-Wa!  /  ?"^,l 
or  Fort  Vancouver,  within  three  months  of  Ihi®''**''^ 
depariure  from  the  Eastern  prairies.*  Theselhin.P^l^y  l^ 
have  escaped  the  Senaior's  attention,  and  he  st'^*?^, 
only  arid  sands  or  volcanic  rocks,  and  stern  i;"'^  ^}  , 
passable  barriers.  Without  meaning  anything  i  ^^'."t 
vidious,  I  would  invite  him  to  ct  ntrast  these  r^^  ■ 
gions,  as  to  their  soil,  climate,  and  natural  3^9*"'\ 
vantage*-:,  with  .some  (if  the  old  thirteen  States  ;'y 
lliey  now  are.  Oregon  has  its  bells  of  sand:  ""^'-^J-^^y 
has  South  Carolina.  Oregon  has  its  mountaii,*^.?  i 
so  has  Cartdina.  Oregon  has  its  rainy  seaM.  .,^„ 
S.iutli  Carolina  has  its  hurricanes.  Oregon  l>1p^i' 
its  season  when  dews  akme  supply  moisture  to  ;,|M' 
soil;  but  it  has  not  the  death-breathing  swamps.  r*jj 
South  Carolina.  Oregon  has  a  genial  climr' *^s^„.  ^ 
neiiher  parched  nor  frozen:  South  Carolina  hasL  i  '„'T,., 

r  '  I  1  .  1     <•  stem    ^^"^ 

fierce  summer  heats  an  i  her  fatal  fevers.  u   j-,,^ 

But  I  will  not  pursue  the  parallel;  for  all  con;    .  '  ^^  j 
tries  offer  something  which  patriotism  in  each  hai '  ^    "^^y.. 
as  a  peculiar  blessing  denied  lo  oilier  lands.    •i<i.ou"'h 
word,  however,  of  the  climate  of  Oregon.     Fi't"jg  gntl  i 
aciuai  observations,  skilfully  recorded,   iis  winu  •  j  ^^[^j,, 
temperature,  licar  the  eoa^l,  isaboul  that  of  Augu>i:     ^  j],,. 
Georgia.     It  has  its  slated  seasunsof  we',  and  of  di  ^[[.qiimIv 
weather.     Like  the  entire  western  coasl,  from  11^'^.^^^^^^^ 
<:egrees  north  to  Chili,  it  has  a  much  milder  '  ■  (^  guihor 
male  iliaii  the  >ame  jiarallel  on  the  caslein  shore  bgtjiniiali 
our  continent.     There  is  no  part  of  the  ten  i'oiy  >  ^nesscs. 
which  lands  fit  for  euliivation  do  noi  abound;!  f  ,-  ,.'  , ,-— ; 

Ilie  QilvciM 

'Tliein  sire  lour  pii-s-ses  iliroiiali  llie  Rocky  Mounlaiiis.  T,  ge  as  i"  o' 
lipsi  1)1  ;(^  wasi!i:H'.uvt'rucl,  iwi  Ive  (rrUr-et'ii  yiMrH.-mri',  l)y  lnuiu"  :eHi  ai't"  '•'' 
irailns;  aiiil  i.s  di'.-^r.riliid  iii  rei  iirt.s  to  ihi;  War  Dc^Mnber  ixir.i 
iiif'hll.y  Messrs.  Asliliy,  l^ilchcr.  Siililriie,  .lacicson,  ."iiMiih,!!!  1  the  '.iu.li' 
oiluT.--;  l>ui  iliu  one  hero  ^ivon  is  Iroin  Mi^^sioiuiry  Park  i  imber  "i  > 
l.uiik:  Ma  liavti 

"On  till!  lOili  ol' Aiigu'-t,  tiity  wero  in  ilio  pasciisiiMif  ■■mofi  li'y*' 
K  >rky  .Mouiiuiiiis,  Ht  an  opcuii.g  reoeiil'y  e,\|ili'rivl,  in  laiini  irgaoii  "I  ' 
I'-'.^  .!■  cri'Cfs  iiorili,  alunii  .'1  or-l  dc^rccx  .^^acli  o|  ilu!  |'l.ir>'  \\  lii ;  ien  pr.'.-^'i'i 
l.^'wi-^  a'ld  f'larkp,  cru:seil  and  riH'.iosM'd  wi'li  arciii  (l.liicnij.'cd  if:i' .  ai 
ah  iv(.'t!iirty  yrarci  iiolui-p.  iiiiU'r  tlie  inrcciion  ol  tioviriiiniiaissi'xi'i  "' 
'Tla!  |):i?.s.iL'..>  ilnonuh  ilicse  niouiiiaui.-J  i.--  in  a  va!li'y,  ho  siradu'  mpici'ia  i 
iaafi'rni  auilde.-^r.i'ii',  ijiat  I  s'.onM  iiot  liavf  known  iliai.  w 'lie  hei'.'ii 
-.M-ro  I  I.  .-ill  t;  ilicni.  Iiad  It  no!  lircn  llial.  n-i  Wi'  advaiiCcd.  i'  nJ  iW ''n''" 
ao'irisi.h'.rt  iii'adnally  li'TaiM' cdlvlcr,  and  at  Irnir  li  \\i'  l.nn,  ciowli 


llli^  |.|;r|K'il.Ml 

vaU'd   ui.iiiv 


•HOW; 
liion 


Mjmn  oar  lialil  i.andaiiil  np-ii  our  lei;,  i 


and   fret    uLmvu  ii,^— ni  s-niiic 


)i!;ici'8 


||)ol|^,llid.  Till!  Iiigliosi  I  art.':  ol  ilnipi- n'oiii'tams' Hvr  Iiiihm!. 
nira.-MlfincHl.  10  III!  o;slileen  llioiisatid  iVin  aliMvc  lln'  level 
iln-  tea.  'I'lus  valliiy  wa."  i  ot.  di.<cuvnit<l  inilil  Hoirc  yr. 
.■*u\ct!.     Mr.  Iloiaaiid   his  |iar;\,  imri- iliai.  iwi  my  ytiii.^  n; 


/ileiigd.i- 

er  Ot  vol 

lietlvf.,  I 

latsam  !•" 

i-lamb  I  ■■■' 

..,10  hit ';"  ; 

wi.iit  iifar  i',  lini  tlid  hoi  rinil  ii,  '.li''i  l'Ii  in  .-caicii  of  yniiii^  i,i>  **X\'m  '■ 
voraiilc  |.,irs,,i.' '.  1'  vaiir.-!  In  wid'li  Iroiii  fivt!  ;o  I'.m  i'i\  mil  ^  Ul"i*t.  ''"'>• 
and,  lorowli ;;  its  rniir.--o,  llu-  tlinninco  iliroiich  iln'  loonniiili -H*!^"'-''' '' 
i.s  aiioiii  ei.uhiy  iinlf.-',  or  lour  days'  jit.nicv.  'rii.inijli  ih,  i.  t'lOJ"" ''' 
art-  f.iiiii'  (iit:\aiioiia  and  d:  iirc.^^inn.-^  in  ilii.^  v.d  <  v.  vri.  c.  i.iturtliy  ol 
paraiwcly  fij'i'akii.i:,  it  i.-<  l(!vtl.  Tiii'ri!  wonid  In-  nVp  ildli-nl  \  nalj  vr2i 
in  llii' way  ol' consiiiif;iinS a  railroad  iroin  il  ,•  Ailantif.  io  ii.whonn.-i 
I'.ioitif,  iii'i'.aii;  and,  |irohfdj|v,  iIih  liim;  inav  imi '.le  lar  ili^i;o^  I  had  an 
wlieii  irips  will  lie  niado  at;roi-s  liiu  coi.iii.Vnl,  m  iln  y  liavi  ^Wcli  i.-i 
,   .    .,:         ...  .         '...•'         riori"  'I 

beiinr  pa 

iNa'io!iid  lnsiiiiiui,ai  W  .i,-rir  irioh:  The  ire^ 

''Tliti  life  of  ill-  coiiiiiry  Ironi  l-'ori  <i'et)rL'e(  As((>ria)  lo  N'.ai-  &  i,,, ,  n 

ronver— a  dis re  oi'e  odtv  ii'ilty-^— ia  very  inneli  ol  ,i  loiilnrni  jJLn,'.  u 

t'lnrae'er,  foii-is''   !t  ol  al  nvialn.e.id  w-jaloi'j  ilie  iivn- hank-,  (g^|i,"ilii 

aki-iiiaiiiig  Willi  loiLsia  ol  iiiiii',  oak,  iV:c  j  wlulu  LthiinJ  uie  i.<  tlDiisc: 


Hum  iiKiik!  lo  Nja:;aia  lali.'<,  lo  sec  naune'.i  vvoMiois  '  " 
il  f.all  ill'  alii  iiiiin  ol  il.p  reailer  lo  Ihe  lollowii'e  exirart  i 


11 


icable  to  road  makit  * 
a  Slate  ol'  nature  i|  tracts  wliere  rains  do  not  fall,  abundant  dews 
wn  Ibr  the  last  thirifVn«^'-s  ihein;  and  great  lacililies  lor  irrigation 
travellers,  Tiiey  w  Abui.dant  and  beautiful  rivulets  descend, 
peribrm  the  j^uir,' sides,  Irom  the  snow-capped  mountains,  al- 
r  women  and  cliildij  ift  view;  and  one  gentleman — whose  peculiar 
le  principal  one  ey'lwiiit!'  ^J'^'l  fitness  to  form  a  correct  judg- 
ast  fideeii  years  nl,f.U>ft  Senate  knows — declares  that  it  is  the  iinest 


.     --  sand 
""[><  ils  uiouutaii, 


I'urieen  States  '^ 
its  bells  of  s£ind'   re  noito  dispai 
n  ' 

las  ils 
icanes 

iipply  moislnre  to 
reaihing  swamp.v 
s  a  genial  clmr 
uih  Carolina  has 
iital  fevers, 
irallel;  fur  all  con 
lioiisni  in  each  ha' '  - 
to  other  lands.     !?^«     ,     , 
of  Oregon.     F,v  rUougii   these 

ecorded,   its  winu'^  *"''  ^''^'  P'^i'-'"^-'^ 
Jou!thatof.\ui^u^^^"f  ^'^'-'"• 


iige  i.ther   Slates, 'but  only  to 

iV  of  what  Oregon  is  capable  for  national  and 

rainy  sea-  visual  purposes,  were  ils  resources  cnllcl  out 

Oregon  J  ^"^  ^''^  gieat.  i  iver  ^h.'i•,'',l  have  lleets  of  piKaboiUs, 

iters,  barges,  steam  luw  boats,  light-ii.iuses,  and 

the  commercial  applinnees  ot  a  busy  population, 

impedimenlsof  ils  entrance  will  grow  no  more 

rming  ihan  ihose  of  New  York,  or  of  our  other 

stern  harbors.     The  loss  o(  the  Peacock  at  its 

,uth,  for  want  ot  a  proper  knowledge  of  the  ehan- 

does  not  stamp  U  as  a  dangerous  entrance  or 

oadslead. 

taleinents  have  taxed  both  ihe 

of  the  ^k-'na!e,  I  could  not 

They  were  indi>pensab]e,  to  couu- 


'iisof  we;  amlof  cl 

lem  coasi,  /iom  i, 

a  much  milder  <  i  '■!^°y^, 

ihe  casltin  sljure. 

t  of  iheterirory  ,  , 

o  not  abuundjt  i,/"*^'''' 


act  the  discouratring  and  ibspaiaging  opinions 
strongly  jiionouncen  by  the  Senator  lii'in  South 
I.  To  these  alle;;alions  of  mere  opiaitm 
d  auihoriiv,  ii  was  mce-sary  lo  (i;)j!.  sc  the  v.'ell- 
bstHnii.iled   ia-ls    luinislied    by   intelligent  eye- 


ISIWe    IllilUl^,   MMIIi:  ol    wlilLll  1L'1,L|VI)   t'SUIillltS   ol    Ull'    nvi;i, 
i,i(,i      .,  .  illoptliurs  iin'  wiiifri:i!  Iiy  lakii.-*  or  |i'>iiii.-i.  lUii.iy  ci(  iliom  t-n 

I  Vt'ifc^'s  '"■".   i'"""''     '^''  g*  »■'"  "''"'"" '''"'■•' "iii'i""  11:1' whulo  Piiriiiiii'V.    Tlie  p'rii" 
to'  ill'"''  vv'        ''^""''  ■estiare  vi'i'v  exniitiivo,  ihi'  ir.  rs  lifin.t  ol  i:i('Mt,  siz'',  iinil  iln: 
I      1.    I'    **'",'    J*''l'i'inber  txlr.uifiliM.iiily  lii',iiiiilii|,slniiL'lii.  iiml  liee  ircriii  l;iio;s. 
1    '\f,'    •''"'''''' ''^'V'''''"''   I  ihOtilrbiM- of  lllr■JUlll:^/i//H^i^  wllic.ll    lliOIC   1110    ilUieil 

'"""'"■y   "itrt  umber  or  s|ii'c.i' .>.  i.n  mL'.iiiuc.  win'o  r.diiip.irnl  wiili  our  iic.iv 

:„    I  ihU  pari  o;  ilic  wori'i;  liiii  occiisioiuilly  our  ii  mi;i  with,  luiu' 

"1  uie  fi:o>-no,,  ,,f  ,1  ,no|Jt  l)..vu'i.lc..iii|i;iiiMiii.    1  oieiiMir.'ij,  wiili  D  .cioi-  <;,i,-ili.  fi-. 

■.II  ii     I    l""   'i'"  '''^'""""g**"  "'  til"  I-";,. I  p.oi-  o!  llio,  spoOlo.W/wii'/,;,,.,/.  \vlili:lil,:hl 

.,.'||         ''T''.^^''^''""»|"'"«"''"<''"-'y ''!*"- '•^''i'''-     '  *<  iiti.!!lu.  w.1.1  nil.. VI!  tw.i  Iniii- 

,.,   ,      -'■'''','   '''"iciil'j.'etilfeoi,  aiiil  its  i-iriMniCi  i-i'iicu  fiuiyiivu  li^eil     l.ai-ire  an  vv;i<: 

ill''  ".",'.  ^'"^''■'■'.iiiei,;ii8i|Nixi;iuMi,  iiailiui.'ii.-iious  iini  nii"iclioxc!  i.mI-iI  liv  oup  on  ihr 

I  .1  v;i,.,.y,  Miiinuji,,,  mptq.ia  river.  ii)i.,i>iii-e.l  hy  ilie  Ian;  Mt.   Divhl  DumiiK-.. 

iMv,.   iv-iiowii    ili.ii  w 'lieljwi-lii  ofiiiisiici' WHS,  I  ililnlc,  iiiMily  r/i/7-    /iinuU'u/ f):il. 

il  HiT  "',  '"•'■<:'l'  ti -nd  Ittr  cn-.iii. il.'ii;,. CI' (;/>;/ .s>/.r  ,/■(';/.'      Tli.-,  .oi,....-.  ot  iliis  ]<\\a\ 

.,'*'"" 'I   '>'"'  loiiii,.ci'0|dir.r  I.I  Ml.  Diiihii.is.-,.  Wile  ir.iin  iwclvo  lo  r.ifrr..  imii.  .< 

.1110  i.ii,..Mi  (Ull-  lei,^  n|?.i  len|il',  r.'.'ouili.in'j  m  siz"  mid  lino  .siiLMrloiivc.-i.    Oil;  tun 

-Ml   Millie    |ii.:<'(s   [,,erotV.tri>' (■  ItiD.I.'.'.i.iil  ol  llic  lli.-l  qiiaii'V,  H  iiliiiii.l.i.,i  nLiol' 

'"',""■"'"■'•  !'<.iii:il,  lnhewei.  as  we. I  as  ilm  liiri.iiuvonii,  (;,/,(/, i,i";i  ucuid'  nl'ilia.) 


iii'(iiiii.-(in.  i;,||i:i|,  inheifjifei.  as  we. I  as  ilm  luri.iiuvon. I, '(,.,/,(/, i,i";i  ucciit-nliilia 
''  ali'.ve  111..  Icvt-i  i.ittlijpi  |.oi)iiii',  (/!«/. »(/(,.v /,»/.s'om//('r,.',)  M-h.  swi't't  i:ni\\.  oi'/ni 
'<'il  iiiilll  Hoipe   yv;a>lan^'T  .■'■li/nr-liliiii.)lwi-iM,.AM   iiMuy  oihui- u:^  I'.ll  kii.iL-.  Liii. 

l.ll.lW.lily  yt„|,^.|„,l,(,|jjrl;„   y,,,,.  vsiilllin. 

'  ■-tiiirli  or  soiiu;  I,.,  '•■fl'.u  (i.ivi  ni.ir  ol  I'.ir!  V.ii  coiivi  r,  wlin  i,s  an  iiclivp  inii.'ii!. 
''^''''"  '•■vi'Miv  iiiil..,-:Ur|jt,  h.is  (.\.'ii,  illiioi  ell  lor.-i'v  ■\:\\  \<,ir.s  ill  iMNhm  \\|i  I'.viv 
'""'-''  '['I'  I'loiioiiiii  iVff/ti\:-<  lo  III-  ii  'aptt  .1  I.I  111!'  soil,  mil  j  i-aii  lii.Ti'i.ni".  oi;ly  maki' 
nie>.  'rii.iiit'li  rliii,  tnoWii  lln'  rc.jul'.-:  oii.h  r.xpi  i-n,.  oi,-....!  Iir  a.-*  I  li.i'l  an'oppor- 
liM  val  (J,  y,,,  ,,,  I  |.(unlly  ol  oli-ji'rvii|..j  ihrin  VVIi,  al,  iVf,  liarl-v,  p.  a.si'.  ..ii.i  v.\\- 
'II  il  ht:  iin  ili/i;,.|,|  J  narjr'vrii'iatil.  K  olail  kiinl--,  an'  ra -■I'li  In  iui;|'.|r  ipia.  li.y.    Ti..- 

ii!.;  Ail.inlio  lo  ii,  wIlCHi  i.- p.iiiciilarly  lim;;  mil,  w.ii>i|oiifr  a'l.l  w.'li  fil'eil  Ivail.-. 
lay  i.oi,  !i(.  (;ii'  ,|i.,(;,„  I  |>.ii()  an  opp.M-iimiiy  .siPi.-imih.  t\;ly  .'I  t<i,rii|.r  ihoriijinn  wliriii. 
i!  I  ill,  as  ijiiy  Jmvt  which  i.'il's.'iV'lly'i  I'ii'hia'i'ii;  lu'ii  I  oousidei  ii  'ifri.l.Mliv  inli' 
woi.cn.s '"  rioriti  'ha' arown  imi  ili.;  (J.il.iinl.  a.    Fnii.-i  oT  v.iii  ii-'lcn,.;.-, 

illowii'e  r.yi|..|p,  fii .,  applt"^,  I"' n'h.-.-',  pliiii.;--  &!•.,  i!o  ri'iiiai  Kilily  w.'d.     I  r<'Mi"ii!li.'i' 
Sist  u'larhVil  to  d''  *'6'"^  l'""'''i'''"ly  "'I'l''''*.  iii"'i  "ly  ■urival  in  Vni  •oiiv.'i- in  ih.' 
'''  Mtiiiltn,  «iili  llii'ilis   I.  y  of  apples  ill   ilio  sanlcii  nl  ilii-   Ion. 
L'i'(Asioiji()  I,)  \-.||    ^^  ""'-■■*'  ^^'^'i'"'  »'i'"W'l.'il  Willi  (Vint,  ii.i  ihat  uvi-rv  linili  nqii'i'il 

'"iii'lioi  M'!ii|.,rii'    T  'i"   "^'•'ii'"'  liyapr.ip.    'I'll.' apphs  wiT"  iK.n'ally  jxirk-d 
'I''-' iliiMiv,  ,' ii.iiit  '   •WPiii!  ihr  liraii.'lic,--,  iiii.l  Ml  rloyrly  Ilia',  I  roiilrl  rompa-,' tliein 
''1''1l'  i.iilii.iluiV,  v'    '*'i"'l'i"''  '»"i''  'li   '^'  l'lanlol'(.p■^^ol diiidii.ias  lla'y  aic  .?i)ii.i.- 
tlDKid  uxiiibilud  lor  Kuit)  in  uiir  inurliuiH." 


Allow  me,  to  the  same  efil'ct,to  cile  a  description 
of  the  country  lately  coinmiinicated  tome  by  i\ii. 
Titian  Peale,  an  accomplished  naturalist,  who  is 
well  known  in  science  for  the  part  which  he  boie 
in  Long's  expedition,  as  well  as  in  the  late  explo- 
ring voyage  under  Lieutenant  Wilkes.  He  re- 
cently favored  me  with  the  fullowing  letter: 

[Mr.  Peale  says  to  the  following  effect;  That  the 
Hudson  Bay  (company  has  several  extensive  farms, 
with  mills,  &c.,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Columbia. 
They  are  in  a  very  nourishing  condition;  supply 
usually  about  'J,000  bushels  ol  wheat  to  the  llujsiaii 
colony,  much  lumber  and  produce  of  the  dairy  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  mentions  their  herds 
of  eaitle  and  slieep,  kept  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river.  Of  the  latter,  iJ,UOI>  had  been  brought  by 
land  irom  Calilornia,  just  before  the  arrival  of  the 
exploring  ^([uadron. 

The  retainers  {ciiiploi/fcs)  of  the  company  have 
nuiaeri'us  larins  on  the  VVallamet,  south  of  the 
Ciilumbia.  Hehadseen  the  contracts  under  which 
ihese  lands  are  granted.  They  are  to  the  eftlci 
which  we  have  belorc  recited. 

lie  sp'-aks  very  lii  voiablv  of  the  Americanswhom 
he  found  settled  there,  i'hcy  cannot  embark  m 
commerce,  for  the  powerful  monopoly  of  rhe  com- 
pany would  always  crush  them.  They  say, 
iiowever,  that,  peiaonally,  il  treats  ihcin  very  hon- 
orably. 

The  soil,  climaiCj  and  productions  are  such  as 
will,  at  11..)  ilisiani  day,  give  the  country  the  same 
ccnnmcK  ial  im])ortaiice  on  ilie  Pacific,  as  vve  hold 
on  the  Atlaniic.  For  grain  or  lumber,  it  is  nearly 
eciual,  il  not  quit-^',  to  the  United  Stales.  These 
Cdinniaiid  t';\ii'."r)iaiiM'is  onthe  iVIexican  and  Sou'h 
American  coasi,  and  in  ilie  many  islam  s.  The 
sHliuon-f'ishery  of  the  Cohinibia  can,  hethink'>,  in  a 
lew  years,  be  rendered  as  valuable  as  the  lisherii's 
on  (lur  ivisierii  coasi.  In  Ihi,--,  he  is  supported  by  a 
united  stream  of  testimony. 

"^I'lie  country  (iicsays)  only  wants  the  proicctioii 
iif  cur  laws,  to  render  it  a  cksindile  hon.e  lor  our 
hardy  fininiiymcn  of  tlie  inieiinr.] 

Mr.  Li\N  couiinued.  In  addition  to  the  agri- 
cultural uealth  which  would  be  rapidly  crealed  in 
this  line  legion,  ilie  noble  timber  wliicli  il  aftbrds, 
ils  li.^hei  ies,  and  i.s  general  advaniaycs  of  com- 
mercial position,  iis  value  as  a  resort  lor  our  ma- 
rine in  thai  distant  sea,  where  we  have  such  great 
interesis  I'lliiai,  shiutlil  nol  !).;•  foicrotlen.  Of  these, 
lasi,  under  ilieh-Le  cven!■^■  iii  (.'hiiia — ci.rUiin  asihey 
are  to  bring  abuiii  ihe  mos;  iinpoiMril  cumnicicial 
^!l;lngl^'' — it  belioovus  us  lobe  careful,  in  cinniiH'ti 
Willi  the  lUlur  great  tradiii,L;uation.s.  That  France 
i^  all!  a.ly  on  the  alert,  we  see  in  h.:r  Liie  sei/.aie  of 
ihe  Maitiut:  as. 

As  to  ilie  qiK  .>'ion  of  expense,  tlie  Senator  from 
Soiitii  Ciioliiia  may  have  aiready  seen  ihnt  only 
half  tl.e  sum  he  ye.-leulay  sllp|n)^ed— ''lUO.fiOi*,  not 
•?0Ot).(Ui:i— i.-  projM  scil  to  be  ei.iployed.  Wlicihcr 
orimt  the  country  is  worth  iliat  sum,  may,  in  ad- 
dilii.n  loall  other  tcslimony,  be  judg.-d  from  tlio  rc- 
piMl  of  your  ler'ent  exploring  cxpcdilioii;  ol  ^vllicll 
(c(i-tly  as  il  was)  one  (d  the  most  deiinitc  i.bjcci.s 
wa-miiuitely  lo  ascertain  llie  condilion,  vaUir,  le- 
siiuri'cs,aiiil  capacities  ol  ihcteriilory.  Mr.  Wilkes 
s|ii.aks  in  the  most  elilhllsia^iic  teiins  of  al!  iis 
cicmeiits  (if  wca'iih  and  greatnt^^s. 

The  Si'nalor  from  South  Cnrolina  ycsl.^rdny 
asked,  ''Wlial  do  we  want  wi;h  ihi'  lerrhoiy!"  To 
me,  sir,  it  S' ems  an.'V.er  enough  to  say,  that  your 
ju.'^t  riyhts  grossly  iiegiecled,  comuieixial  iuiercsta 


'I 

'  II 

u 

■ii' 


V'i 


12 


■^ 

n 


of  c;rort  nia<^nitu(l",  and  llie  wishes  of  your  people, 
tlt.fUiiiid  its  occiipaii'jn.  They  li  ive  [iressod  upon 
you  peiuioiis  of  iwo  or  tlirrf  iiiou--aiKl  jicisons  at 
;i  time,  aiixiou>  to  luigiMle  thither  if  as--nreil  tiiat 
you  will  luaihtam  your  lillc.  Noihiiiy:  but  distru.^i 
of  your  t;!iciirn.\-s  and  limiiiity  wi.hlsolds  tlieiii.  I 
inysoli,  Mhilc  ur^'iii:^  the  nieasurt' — ■ihvays,  iiow- 
cvtT,  Willi  liiat  inodcraiioii  ot  wliich  1  have,  tor  my 
own  jii.-tifieaiioi),  b.'eu  lorced  to  s|ieak — have  al- 
ways iVit  iliat  iiothiu:,'  but  rciieiiiled  discn-sion 
wonldeverprepare  niitids  here  foractiou,  uniil  Ube- 
eanie,  perhaps,  almo.-t  loo  late.  At  that  Insi  stajje  of 
proera>iiiKaioii  Hook  upon  uursel  ves as  tiowarrivcd 
Our  i'ore;^r!  relaiioiis — and  eso'cally  siicii  as  can 
l)e  artfully  sjiun  oui — are  litlie  liively  ever  lo  be,  in 
the  lapse  of  many  years,  in  a  simatioii  thai  M'ill 
better  sillow  us  to  "proceed,  Yei,  gentlemen  s;ill 
answer  1110,  as  oT  old,  "Wait!  wai'!''  I'luy  siiil, 
afier  twenty  iwo  ycais  of  posinonem'.nt,  lind  the 
moment  inauspicious,  the  movement  i)iei:ipitaie. 
As  ever,  there  is^'aiioniiilhi:  pulh."  When  were 
cvcrsucli  dilatory  proeeeii ill '.,'s  safe  nRainsi  a  pow- 
erful, ::n  active,  a  p'diiic  adversary,  rap.d  log'ra-^p, 
and  slow  only  to  n.-lin(]ui.>li?  ll' we  aie  evei  to  as- 
sei't  our  ri','liis,  it  \\\\\<  be  mo>t  speedily,  bctore 
they  lapsii  inio'he  haiu.s  of  oiiiers,  from  long  undis- 
puted possession.  For,  n:ai  k'.tliat  be  your  n-serves 
of  treahes  what  ijiey  may,  Jilugland  has  loii}^  en- 
joyed, and  is  every  day  completing  and  guardiiii?:, 
ill;!'  exidusive  possessions, 

I  have  no  personal  interest  in  this  measurt' 
— no  met! ive  but  such  as  I  have  in  common  with  ;di 
wliuine  jeaf 'US  ol  ill.--  righis  and  earei'nl  oi'ilie  in- 
.  teres's  of  our  couniry.  Political  capital,  it  j'ifirds 
none;  and  if  it  did,  I  am  nn  p'olincil  capiialisl 
Whe'ber  it  can  rarry  \vy  ad";M)t.i!'.'  or  di'-'idvm- 
taQ:f  lo  i!ris  or  that  scciioji,  1  have  not  considered, 
and  Isliall  nut  consiuer.  1^<A  even  repataiiou  lio  1 
ext'Cct  or  desiie  from  my  efloris,  except  the  ie,:;;ili- 
niate  ot.p  of  havii.f;  tai;hli'lly  i!is'diarp;e!t  my  duiy 
i  '  such  a  quesiion,  wliciher  as  a  Senator  or  a  ciu- 
z.n. 

As  to  this  easy  and  mjst  culpable  policy  of  eter- 
nal delay-,  however.  Iiiive  you  not  alrea  (y  by  it 
(piadrnpled  'our  didiculJcs  and  your  evenlaal 
lo^se.-'?  Had  yai  al  onec,  on  recovei  in^'  pioss'ssion 
of  A>t-iria  in  ISIH,  built  mdiiary  posis  an. I  provi 
ded  lor  selllers,  you  never  would  \\:v:p.  lieaid  o( 
tlie  riritish  preti  n^ioii-:  since  >iart('(|.  T|i<'  ^-aiiie 
policy  of  indecision  q;ivc  you  ihedifliculiivs  ofyour 
N','nheastern  ques'iou  and  the  di:-advaiiiaq;ps  of  its 
late  adjustment.  Sir,  tli-^  couiitry  of  an  ofT'nsive 
policy  (like  EuLT  and)  always  |2;am^,  ami  that  of  a 
deieri'-'ivo  one  (like  onr.-e! ves)  alway.^  lo  -e.s,  by  liiese 
delays, 

Hut  the  Senator  fro'ii  Soiih  Carolina  s.iys  tiiis 
is  the  first  insian  e  ol'  a  proftosition,  tinder  ihis 
(rovernnT-nf,  loloun  I  acohniv  a!  the  public  charirc 
No;  but  we  bon,';ht  them  ready  made  to  our  hands— 
and  splendid  acquisitions  they  weie;  and,  >tranrre 
to  ^ay,  as  powerliil  aii;:uin>-nis,  ai:d  as  siron-a  hin- 
f,'iia','?.  Were  nsi'd  ai^ai;isi  ihe  purchn'-e  of  Loui- 
siana, as  are  now  usc-d  a.';;unst  ihe  occupation  ol 
Ore^oti, 

Now,  in  the  first  phice,  no  sueh  id"a  hn'-;  been 
put  foiwaul  as  founding  a  cnhuiy  at  ilie  public  ex- 
pense. No  boon  is  aslfi.-d,  l-ut  a  veiy  Hmiled  one 
of  lands,  to  be  redeemed  from  ti.e  wilderness;  and 
such  a  .'Tift  has,  with  all  tli"  nations  of  the  i,dobe, 
been  a  ronimou  feanive  in  t'le  (jrs!  p'aniin;r  ol' re- 
mole  seiUrui' nts.  Mxeept  this,  and  liie  proieelion 
c.f  your   luwi:;,  nutliing   is  claimt  d.     To  such  a 


method  you  owe  it  that  you  are  the  owners  (lOOal  st 
broad   Union.     Of  ()r«g;'n,  you  can  never  ,'-he  ch 
wise  take  jiosscssion;  i;nd  the  only  fault  is,  ili;<^Wsal 
liuve  been  .so  tardy  to  put  it  in  practice.     I  lar''^*  ^'' 
before  th.^  time  of  ComnKjilne    Forter,  >,  sings 
your  foothold  there,   iiy  foriifymg  a  port  ,leSSing 
Ctdumlua,  you  might  liave  saved  millions  m'^®  ■^" 
erly  and  coiniiienial  advantage.s,  in)w  foievi'P'"*'^*' 
and  lorleiied.     Tweniy  millicns  of  didlars,  i:  ^^S-' 
ed  by  your  citizens  in  the  whale  fislieiies  ul/^n '"'.' 
these  seas,  yei  adinoiiisli  you  that  yon  have  superi' 


lose  111  securing  tliere 


th 


e  stieli 


civil 


moment  to 

eonmiodious  haibor.  All  these  ihings — the ''"'''"^" 
lions  you  are  establishing  with  the  tSai;®*  ^"'' 
group — the  long  and  rich  coasi-t;ade  of  the  .'^*^' 
lii; — the  homu'  and  the  tighisoL  tlie  counli}-*'^.^ '' 
tq/on  you  to  pass  ihis  hill.  ■>  ^"-^  '■ 

For  such  (ibjectSj  yoii  are  start  ed  at  an  ;  catioi 
iiiiation  of  :.nl(M>,U(;0,     iVIean  tin.e,  for  an  o>;'^?f  ^'■ 
provision  of  ^your  laie  tivaty,  (Britain  lellini.?}^*^ 
ihat  if  you  did  n(.t  carry  oui"  yt^ur  laws  for  r.  '**  ^^^^ 


you 
iivn. 


tasto  t 
'o  talk 
barrier 
eghany 

So  much  lor  the  iiiotmous  cost  ol    this   ilaied  b 


ins:  the  slave-trade,  she  would  do  ;t  lor 
gladly   pay  an   annual   .~()i)0,0()(»,   wiiii 
praise  to  the  great  iie'j-oiia'or  whose  lian-ei 
;;biiii!es  brongiii  abiUit  sucii  an  artaiiiremeiii. 


colonizaficai;  and  ik>w  as  to  its  noveltv. 


^.,  ,oar  lim 
we  never  befoie  colonized?     Have  you  iio.,,v*J^**M^' 
expense    o!  millions,   tcmo\ed   tlie    Indian-  p  ,»^'"'^ 
your  settled ^:^lates, and  colonized  them  beyci.i:' '"*^"-' 
border]     1  do  not  eomptam  ol  that   measure '**'*^^ 
I  rejoice  at  il,  as  one    full  of  humaniiy;  but  l^^**  .^^^ 
oflen  had  occasion  to  pnini  oiitH)  you  ihe  ,"*r.  L-. 
which  il  imposes   upon  you  ol  guarding   ii),''''act  usi 
po.sed  parts   of    MlssouO,    Arkansas,    and  '?P^!'^',  ^ 
po' fions    of  your  We-i\evn    frcniier    from      \f  ^^ 
dangers    of   "ihal     Indian      population;    to  l^  i|.  Q" 
W'hich  in  check,  many  of  the  provisions  (;  \^''®iI''^P. 
bill  areindispen.^able.  hei»riti 

Certainly  there  ar^'  imprests,  deemed  parar^jj"'    . 

in  some  iia'rts  of  ihis  Unio;i.  M'hicli  gentlemen '■™™'^ 

conceive' as   likely  to  be  :;liected   by  ihis    bi?"''*®  ^'' 

know  not  whether  ihe  growth   of  this  new  ,i^*»>y''h 

"^     ■  posed  to 


of  this 
(ifyou  choose  to  call  it  such)  is  to  give  a  fului' 
doiuleranceto  the  free  Stales,  lU"  not.  I  loo";  : 
territory  only  as  the  common  home  of  cii 
from  every  ynyi  of  tfc  Union.  When  nunicj 
i-nough  to  toiin  a  distiin  i  sovere-ignty,  it  w- 
lor  tlniu  to  choose  wlu  tlur  ihey  will  obey,  <' 
the  gi'eat  law  of  consanguiniiy  an  of  s:i:' 
freedom  whicli  so  strongiy  impels  towards 
other  even  the  fra"-mpp!s  of  our  peculiar  r  -^ 
By  ihil  sort  of  yearnitr^.  we  see  Texas  "^"  \Szi^\ 
lo  rennile  lieiself  to  us,  in  spite  '^'  f^'^'^''"'' jLion"' 
dispersion,  s'o  tnueh,  indeed,  do  the  '''*^i'''""  «  nftrt  ' 
intercourse  and  coiiceniratioii  onigo  l''<^' '^'^""^rttMm  b\ 
■separation  and  di.spersion,  t'-at  if  Texas  ''  ;„t,.  ,; 
a  liee  Snte  iasiead  of  a  sf.vo  State,  1  ''■»'  "f°', 
know   if  I  should,  on    ih.e  other  score,  repel  * 

wish  toi;ecoine  a  member  of  this  Union.        Q  DO  pai 

Tiie  Senator  iron.   South  Carolina  thinks  !?-^|th 
on  V  compression  wiiliin  narrow  liniitsi  an  ;',  '-^     i 
iiiirh  slate  of  civilization.  This  is  true,  or  faN     «•  ,'r'^ 


cording  lo  the  idea  which  is  lo  be  iillixed  m 
leriu  rrrilizoiiiiH:     Is  it  formed  bv  the  hdiii 
telleciuai  results  among  a  (eriam  class?  or 
ihe 


Galtat 
London 
tntion  0 

cottntr 


purest   moral  culture  o(  all   classes'?     ^  •■  ,*,     gj, 
iiniiv,   aided    onlv  bv   oidinaiy  inlclli-jri  nee,    ;,  i.  jj. 
nimranze  and  lo  elevaie  '"•'"'>''>  rfiouk 

ever  for  amomeni  elTect,     That  <^'hrislianity  i''^ 'y 
not  sliul  itself  up  in  narrow  bounds,  or  nuii  u' 


ooi!i.'  more  lo 

than  all  the  imellecUi '!  ffUu'ies  (if  P;i:raiii'im 


13 


Dii  are  the  owners  (lOBal  ^'fi^nness.  Broad,  dili'iisive,  nnd  full  of 
n,  you  can  never  , '•he  chninies  of  man  lo  man,  its  principle  is 
llie  only  iault  is,  tii;V«fsiil  brotiieihood.  Tl)e  spirit  of  the  age  itself 
it  in  practice.  i,'ai''<Js  the  yliultinsf  up  wilniti  narrow  iinuts  llie 
in(nl'Ue  Porter  v,  sings  which  our  institutions  arc  so  lit  lo  dilTuse 
foriityiiig  a  port  ,leS5iiig^  which  tlie  .active  and  expansive  spirit 
J  saved  niiliioiis  in  he  Aiiglo-S;txon  race  seems  lilted  and  destined 
Lintages.  now  foievf'Pf*'^*^  "^'*^'"  ^'"^  whole  earth.  I  care  not  for 
lillii'ns  of  dullars.  i  high  civilizaiion  whu>c  standard  is  wealth  or 
whale  fisheiies  ai/er;  orthil  other,  which  erects  upon  partial  laws 
,'011  that  yon  have  superiority  of  ilic  few.  1  am  not  a  lover  of 
i,T  lliere  "the  shele;  civilizaiiuu  whicii  talces  lor  one  of  its  nitiin 

these  iliiiigs t)|(.  rumen  !s  "-reat  coijiorate  a>;oci?,liois — 'jontii/- 

ng   with   the    ^al^  <5S  for   enabling  one  set  i)f  men  to  lord  it   over 

coast-t;!ule  tif  the 'her.  N.jne  of  ihi'se  is  the  high  civilization 
ghis  o;  the  connli\-Ch  I  desire  for  this  country;  htn.  the  inoral  cul- 
;,  the  general  iniellicjence,  the  careful  domestic 
re  start  cd  at  an  ;  cotioii  and  discipline,  the  Cliristian  broiher- 
an  tine,  tor  an  e>:*iof  ^i  ^^*1"'e ''^PP.va^d  virtuous  naticm.  V/hcn 
■ity,  (Briiain  lelliti' Sfi^*^  .scope  and  cnconrageiuent  to  this  virtuous 
II'  yiair  laws  for  1. '*^^'^'i^'^V')  we  best  perform  our  legislative 
oiiiil  do  :i  lor  you  '**"•  ''i^^'  work  of  civilization. 
i(!0,0()(>  wiih  livi;, -"o  '*^"^'  "f  '■h''  liocky  Mountains  as  an  irnpa.ssa 
Kor  whose  ti;ir.'.,."  harrier,  is,  sir,  but  to  speak  as  folks  did  o' 


tiaiv-ci 


n    fri'i'.iji' 
[)i]Milalioii; 
ic  provisions 


sir,  but  to  .speak  as  folks  did  of  the 
1  an  arranaeiiiPiit  eghany  liiiy  years  agi).  Distance  is  almost  an- 
ions cost  of  this  )i'*'®'l  '-^y  'i'G  exi«;ting  slate  of  things;  and,  va^-tly 

0  ts  r,i)veltv.  Sir /O'*' ^i'"''^  have  been  extended,  they  liave,  in 
?  fhive  y(  u  iKi.  ;,\*^  of  time  and  dilficulty,  contraiiliHl  almost  as 
ii\ed  the  Indiall^^h, since  the  formation  of  (>ur  Government;  so 
inized  them  bwyeia  ' '"*  ^'''^"^'^^"'''^'  hereof  (leiegaies  from  beyond 

1  ol  that  rntasurt  '^*'*''^y  Mouninias  really  involves  nothing  ab- 
:)1  htimaniiv;  lait  ]d,  or  even  improbable. 

It  out  to  V(iu  the  I  '*^'^'  L-  ''ere  laid  before  tne  Senate  a  copy  of  the 
II  or  guardin"'   ii), fact  usually  passed  o  twccn  the  Hudson   Bay 
Arkansas     and  nptt'O' ^"<1  it-"^  ei^ip'oyees,  or.servant,"--.  He  ^efer- 
p,,,,^  toil  as  conclusive  proof  of  permanent  settle- 
,j.  It,  if  not  of  permanent  land  grams,  and  of  the 
the  provisions  e^  reliance  which  the  company  lias  in  thepii.dges 

he  British  Government.] 
sts,  deemed  pnian-'®''^"'  "^  ^'^  argue  that  the  proposition  of  the 
,  which  ..enllemeii^^  ™'"'^'^''^t"  ^'*'"-  Grallalin  in  1826-27,  was  a 
(Vectrd  iTy  ihis  hi '^Wc  admission  of  OUT  rights,  and  rendered  de- 
th  of  this  nf'V.'  ,,^*  hy  the  attendant  circumstances.  They  then 
)  is  to  give  a  luiiiii  PO^Cd  to  insert,  in  the  renewed  convention  then 
s  or  ru)i.  I  look  **"  negotiation,  provisions  that  neither  pow- 
ii'iion  home  of  ciihould  assume  or  exercise  any  right  of  sov- 
oii.  Whin  iiiinii  SiP'^  *^'' '^'^'"'"'''^'"  *^'^^*''  any  part  of  the  country 
n  years;  and  that  no  settlement  then  exist 
which  might  thereafter  be  formed,  should 
adduced  by  eiihei  party  in  support  of  any 
m  of  sovereignty  or  dominion.  This  proposi- 
,.  was  referred,  by  our  negotiator,  to  the  Presi- 
,'t,_(Mr.  Adams,)  and  rejected,  on  the  ground 
:  it  would  preclude  our  exercising  our  rightsi  of 
linion  and  sovereignty.  The  proposition,  on 
r  part,  is  more  than  a  tacit  admi.ssion,  and  its 
,:Ctioil  by  ns,  upon  such  grounds,  an  assertion  of 


;('ven?ignty,  it  w 

il.oy  will  obey,  ( 

iiiiiy  an       ot    s: 

impels  towar(l> 

f  our    peculiar 

\a>  see  Tex;\s  .•■ei 
■pil,»  of  disiaiic' 
I,  ilo  the  ficili'u 
11  (luigo  the  cat) 
that   if   Texas 


right  to  exet'cise  the  sovereignty,  while  their 
nee  as  to  that  reason  forms  a  fresh  assent  to  it, 

Q  no  ptirt  of  the  negotiations  is  there  a  word  to 

veihat,  on  either  part,  a  doubt  was  entertained 

lOr  right  to  plant  imlitary  posts.    Great  Britain, 

eed,  clearly,  though  indirectly,  admits  it.    For 

^^ .  Gttillalin  says,  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Clay,  dated 

'^'  Liondon,  7th  August,  1827,  that  "  there  was  no 

"  intion  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain  to  colonize 

/-,.    country,  or  to  impede  the  progress  of  our  scftle- 

'  'is.     But  Great  Britain  owed  protection  to  her 


>vc  Slate,  I  ■!(! 
illier  score,  repel 
■  this  Union. 

ramlina  thinks 
I  WW  limits  (an  ;'; 
lis  is  I  me,  or  fals 
s  lo  be  allixed  lo 

d  hv  the  hifii 

I  la  in  (dass  ?  or 

all    clashes? 

7,y  Jil,l.,;'~'>!!!''."-,'««*»  in  that  quarter,  and  could  not  admit  that 
'^  of  P''ani'iii  '  i^  should,  so  long  as  the  permanent  boundary 
lilt  C'hiiMiiniiV'  '*'*''*-'^-'-^'^'-'^^ ''^'^''^  '°  ^-  *^"''^'?'^  jurisdiction. 

bonnds,  or  nuibiif' 


,r  nould  her  interest,  or  a  due  regard  to  national 


(cliaraoler,  permit  her  to  acquiesce  in  an  exclusive 
!  military  occmiation  of  the  country,  on  the  pan  of 
the  United  States." 

The  utmost  objection,  then,  whichcan  be  inAnred 
to  the  bill,  is  the  possibiiiiy  that  Great  Briiam,  by  a 
luture  adjuslment,  may  prove  entitled  lo  terriiory 
within  which  may  lie  lands  assigned  to  our  citi- 
zens under  these  pros|)ective!,rants.  But  it  has  been 
already  abundantly  proved  thai  Great  Briiain  doe.« 
this  through  her  Hudson  Bay  Company.  Tliey, 
in  their  contracts,  grain  the  soil — a  sovereign  ac' 
to  which  lliey  th.eniselves  are  not  cornpetenl,  and 
winch,  i.'!ei\;!()rc,  supposes  the  de'cgation  and  ccn- 
seiil  of  their  Government — a  Gov^ernment  certainly 
not  unaware  of  what  they  are  doing  in  this  behnof, 
and  notoriously  proinisingihem  its  support  in  what- 
ever iuteresis  or  setilcments  may  grow  up  there. 

In  everything,  Britain  interprets  the  convention 
forhei>elf.  She  has  told  you  what  shcwouklnot 
and  what  she  would  permit  you  to  do.  She  says 
you  mtist  notsel  up  a  disiinct  Stale  or  Teiriiorial 
Gijvernmeiit  theie;  but  that  you  may  do  as  she  has 
done — extend  lo  that  territory  the  laws  of  one  of 
your  other  Territories  or  Suites.  Well,  that  is  all 
iha!  this  bill  prdp'r-es.  Never  bef-U'e  was  the  tifaty 
iiiicrpieled  as  lying  up  our  liands  fiora  ihe  exei- 
cise  of  our  sovereignty;  that  construction  is  now 
thrust  upon  us  for  the  fusl  lime,  by  the  fear  of 
making  an  issue  with  Greai  Britain.  An  issue 
with  Britain!  Methinks,  sir,  there  is  small  need 
of  furnishing  issues  to  a  power  ,<:o  capable  of  erect- 
ing pretensions  out  of  anything;  and  little  policy 
in  starting  claims  for  her,  to  whose  claims  jou 
always  succumb.  Seizing  upon  your  ISorthwest 
coast,  during  the  last  war,  she  has  ever  since  kept 
you  out  of  11,  from  year  to  year,  until  she  is  now 
able,  by  tiie  control  which  she  has  established  over 
ihe  indiaus,  to  lake  posse.ssion  of  your  rivers  and 
harbors,  and  virtually  exclude  you  from  the  trade 
of  your  own  shores. 

Senators  have  enlarged  upon  the  pacific,  and 
even  the  fraternal  feelings  which  Great  Briiain 
manifested  towards  u.s  in  the  late  treaty.  I  am 
sorry  to  .say  that  I  can  discover,  in  that  adjustment, 
nothing  to  indicate  any  desire  of  peace,  except  upon 
condition  of  our  yielding  her  everything  that  was 
in  contest.  Yougave  her  all  she  wanted;  and  now 
you  are  in  raptures  of  amazement  at  lier  modera- 
tion and  humanity  in  not  going  to  war!  For  her 
violations  of  your  terriiory  and  vessels,  you  took 
an  apo.ogy  which  she  did  not  design  to  offer  as 
such.  Of  the  anomalous  MeLeod  case,  she  com- 
plained loudly,  calling  lustily  upon  you  to  take  it 
oni  of  the  hands  of  the  State  authorities.  You  com- 
plied as  far  asyoucould,  and  apologized  for  all  that 
you  could  not;  laMng  care,  meantime,  not  lo 
irritate  her  by  too  much  mention  of  your  own 
greater  wrong— that  of  the  Caroline  and  the  death 
of  Durfee.  She  has  openly  t«ld  you  to  carry  out 
your  own  laws  for  the  suppression  of  ihe  slave-iradf 
or  she  would  do  it  for  you ;  she  has  plainly  told  you 
that  if  you  did  not  enforce  your  laws  for  the  pre>« 
ervation  of  neutrality  on  the  Canadian  borders, 
fhe  would  do  it  for  yon;  and  you  have  meekly 
submitted,  promising  at  once  to  keep  up,  on  the 
African  coast,  a  force  of  eighty  guns.  She  com- 
plains, and  you  make  amends;  she  claims,  and  you 
yield;  she  requires,  and  you  comply.  And  lolyou 
are  delighted  and  amazed  at  her  wonderfully  pa- 
cific temper  I  War,  sir!  Why,  what  excuse 
could  she  have  for  talking  of  it,  when,  to  .stop  her 
mouth,  you  have  given  her  all  she  demanded;  and 


M 


:i^ 


.!'! 


14 


!;  I 


when,  to  gratify  her,  yon  incur  an  expenditure  of 
three  millions  in  five  years;  while  we  are  told  that, 
for  this  important  bill,  the  treasury  cannot  burden 
itself  with  a  sin-^le  outlay  of  $100,(1.00, 

I  should  deplore  a  war,  however  necessary; 
but,  deploring  it,  I  shculd  none  the  more  shrink 
from  it,  if  tlie  rights,  the  interests,  or  the  honor  of 
my  country  demanded  it.  When  any  of  these 
were  decisively  at  stake,  not  even  before  the  formi- 
dable power  oif  Great  Britain  would  I  hesitate  for 
a  moment. 


But,  Mr.  President,  I  do  not  anticipate  at  ^-^ 
result  trom  the  passage  of  the  bill.    Its  prol  « 
feels  will  be  to  bring  the  two  Governments  It', 
necessity  of  promptly  and  definitively  settji 
long-discussed  and   long  agitated    subject, 
British  and  American  interests  in  the  Ten 
Oregon  become   so  commingled,  yet  so  ; 
as  lo  close  the  door  to  any  other  method  of 
ment,  but  a  resort  lo  arms. 


do  not  anticipate  ar 
)!' the  bill.  Ilsprot 
iwo  Governments  ii 
id  definitively  selll 
^  agitated  subject, 
iierests  in  the  Ten 
nmingled,  yel  so  : 
ly  other  method  of 


15 


OREGON  BILL  AS  IT  PASSED  THE  SENATE. 


A.  bill  to  authorize  the  adoption  of  measures  for 
the  occupation  and  settlement  of  the  Territory 
of  Oregon,  for  extending  certain  portions  of  the 
laws  ol  the  Uniied  Slates  over  the  same,  and  for 
other  purposes. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre- 
entalives  of  the  United  Sta,tes  of  America  in  Con- 
gress assembled,  That  the  President  of  the  Uniied 
States  is  hereby  authorized  and  required  to  cause  to 
»e  erected,  at  suitable  places  and  distances,  a  line  of 
tockadc  and  blockhouse  forts,  not  exceeding  five 
a  Aimber,  from  some  point  on  the  Missouri  and 
Arkansas  rivers,  into  the  best  pass  for  entering  the 
'^alley  of  the  Oregon;  and,  also,  at  or  near  the 
Doath  of  the  Columbia  river. 

That  provision  hereafter  shall  be  made  by  law  to 
eciUre  and  grant  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  or 
>Me  Section  of  land,  to  every  white  male  inhabitant 
•f  the  Territory  of  Oregon,  of  the  age  of  eighteen 
■eajs  and  upward,  who  shall  cultivate  and  use  the 
ame  for  five  consecutive  years;  or  to  his  heir  or 
leirs-at-law,  if  such  there  be,  in  case  of  his  decease. 
In4  to  every  such  inhabitant  or  cultivator  (being  a 
aarried  man)  there  shall  be  granted,  in  addition, 
me  hundred  and  sixty  acres  to  the  wife  of  said  has- 
land,  and  the  like  quantity  of  one  hundred  and  six- 
) -acres  to  the  father  for  each  child  under  the  age 
if  eighteen  years  he  may  have,  or  which  may  be 
•orn  within  the  five  years  aforesaid. 

That  no  sale,  alienation,  or  contract  of  any  kind, 
hsJl  be  valid,  of  such  lands,  before  the  patent  is 
ss.aed  therefor;  nor  shall  the  same  be  liable  to  be 
akeb  in  execution,  or  bound  by  any  judgment, 
nortgage,  or  lien,  of  any  kind,  before  the  patent  is 
K)  issued;  and  ail  pretended  alienations  or  contracts 

f'  oJBiiienating  such  lands,  made  before  the  issuing 
^^'!. patents,  shall  be  null  and  void  against  the 
,,  (ii  ''-  himself,  his  wife,  or  widow,  or  against  his 
•  '/i'uv-l aw,  or  against  purchasers,  after  the  issu- 
ngof  the  patent. 

That  the  President  is  hereby  authorized  and  re- 
luired  to  appoint  two  additional  Indian  agents, 
vith  a  salary  of  two  thousand  dollars  each,  whose 
luty.it  shall  be  (under  his  direction  and  control)  to 
uperintcnd  the  interests  of  the  United  States  with 
iny  or  every  Indian  tribe  west  of  any  agency  now 
stablished  by  law. 

That  thr  "Tiof  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
le  appropriated,  out  of  any  money  in  the  treasury 
lOt  otnerwise  appropriated,  to  carry  into  effect  the 
royisions  of  this  act 

6ec.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  civil 
.nd  criminal  jurisdiction  of  the  supreme  court  and 
iistrict  courts  of  the  Territory  of  Iowa  be,  and  the 
ame  is  hereby,  extended  over  that  part  of  the  In- 
lian  territories  lying  west  of  the  present  limits  of 
he  said  Territory  of  Iowa,  and  south  of  the  forty- 
linth  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  west  of  the  Rocky 
lifountains,  and  north  ofthe  boundary  line  between 
he  United  Slates  and  the  Republir;  of  Texas,  not 
ft^luded  within  the  limiLs  of  any  Slate;  and,  also, 


over  the  Indian  territories  comprising  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  country  between  them  and  the 
Pacific  ocean,  souih  of  fifiyfour  degrees  and  forty 
minutes  of  north  latitude,  and  north  of  the  lorty- 
second  degree  of  north  latitude;  and  justices  ofthe 
peace  may  be  appointed  for  ihe  said  territory,  ia 
the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  powers,  as 
now  provided  by  law  in  relation  to  the  Territory 
of  Iowa:  Provided,  That  any  subject  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  Great  Britain,  who  shall  have  been  arrest- 
ed under  the  provisions  o(  this  act  for  any  crime  al- 
leged to  have  been  committed  within  the  territory 
westward  ofthe  Stony  or  Rocky  IMountains,  while 
ihe  same  remains  free  and  open  to  the  vessels,  citi- 
zens, and  subj'.'cts  ofthe  United  States  and  of  Great 
Britain,  pursuant  to  stipulations  between  the  two 
powers,  shall  be  delivered  up,  on  proof  of  his  being 
such  British  subject,  to  the  nearest  or  most  conve- 
nient auihoritiss  having  cognizance  of  such  offence 
by  the  laws  of  Great  Britain,  for  the  purpose  of 
being  prosecuted  and  tried  according  to  such  laws. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  further  enactt  x'hat  one  asso- 
ciate judge  of  the  supreme  court  ui  the  Territory  • 
of  Iowa,  in  addition  to  the  number  now  authorized 
by  law,  may,  in  the  discretion  ofthe  President,  be 
appointed,  to  hold  his  office  by  the  same  tenure 
and  for  the  same  time,  receive  the  same  compen- 
sation, and  possess  all  the  powers  and  authority  con- 
ferred by  law  upon  the  associate  judges  of  the  said 
Territory;  and  one  judicial  district  shall  be  organ- 
ized by  the  said  supreme  court,  in  addition  to  the 
existing  number,  in  reference  to  the  jurisdiction 
conferred  by  this  act;  and  a  district  court  shall  be 
held  in  the  said  district  by  the  judge  ofthe  supreme 
court,  at  such  times  and  places  as  the  said  court 
shall  direct;  and  the  said  district  court  shall  pos- 
sess all  the  powers  and  authority  vested  in  the 
present  district  courts  of  the  said  Territory,  and 
may,  in  like  manner  appoint  its  own  clerk. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  any  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  appointed  in  and  for  the  territories 
described  in  the  second  section  of  this  act,  shall 
have  power  to  cause  all  offenders  against  the  laws 
of  the  United  States  lobe  arrested  by  such  persons 
as  they  shall  appoint  for  that  purpose,  and  to  com- 
mit such  offenders  to  safe  custody  for  trial,  in  the 
samp  cases  and  in  the  manner  provided  by  law  in 
relation  to  the  Territory  of  Iowa;  and  to  cause  the 
offenders  so  committed  to  be  conveyed  to  the  place 
appointed  for  the  holding  of  a  district  court  for  the 
said  Territory  of  Iowa,  nearest  and  most  conve- 
nient to  the  place  of  such  commitment,  there  to  be 
detained  for  trial,  by  such  persons  as  shall  be  au- 
thorized for  that  purpose  by  any  judge  of  the  su- 
preme court,  or  any  justice  of  the  peace  of  the 
said  Territory;  or  where  such  offenders  are  Brit- 
ish subjects,  to  cause  them  to  be  delivered  to  the 
nearest  or  most  convenient  British  authorities,  as 
hereinbefore  provided;  and  the  expenses  of  such 
commitment,  removal,  and  detention  shall  be  paid 
in  the  same  manner  as  provided  by  law  in  respect 
to  llie  fees  of  the  marshal  of  tliesaid  Territory. 


